[go: up one dir, main page]
More Web Proxy on the site http://driver.im/

US9292163B2 - Personalized 3D avatars in a virtual social venue - Google Patents

Personalized 3D avatars in a virtual social venue Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US9292163B2
US9292163B2 US14/045,479 US201314045479A US9292163B2 US 9292163 B2 US9292163 B2 US 9292163B2 US 201314045479 A US201314045479 A US 201314045479A US 9292163 B2 US9292163 B2 US 9292163B2
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
user
virtual
social
dimensional space
venue
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active, expires
Application number
US14/045,479
Other versions
US20140033044A1 (en
Inventor
Daniel M. Goldman
Lorne Lanning
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ONSET VI LP
Javelin XIP LLC
Original Assignee
ONSET VI LP
Javelin XIP LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ONSET VI LP, Javelin XIP LLC filed Critical ONSET VI LP
Priority to US14/045,479 priority Critical patent/US9292163B2/en
Assigned to ODDMOBB, INC. reassignment ODDMOBB, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: GOLDMAN, DANIEL M., LANNING, LORNE
Assigned to XMOBB, INC. reassignment XMOBB, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ODDMOBB, INC.
Assigned to ONSET VI, L.P., JAVELIN VENTURE PARTNERS, L.P. reassignment ONSET VI, L.P. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: XMOBB, INC.
Assigned to JAVELIN XIP, LLC reassignment JAVELIN XIP, LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: JAVELIN VENTURE PARTNERS, L.P.
Publication of US20140033044A1 publication Critical patent/US20140033044A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US9292163B2 publication Critical patent/US9292163B2/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/048Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
    • G06F3/0481Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
    • G06F3/04815Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06QINFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q30/00Commerce
    • G06Q30/02Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/16Sound input; Sound output
    • G06F3/167Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06TIMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T19/00Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
    • G06T19/003Navigation within 3D models or images

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a platform for providing social networking services within a virtual venue to allow for interaction between users with third-party media content, and more specifically to a method for instantiating facial images onto 3D avatars within the virtual venue.
  • most computer experiences are not shared by multiple users, because they are isolated from each other in terms of geography, chronology, or with respect to the content that they accessed.
  • Whatever activity that a computer user experiences is typically either asynchronous to other users (such as email, viewing and posting within a social network service, etc.), or synchronous within a closed environment (such as online gaming).
  • the activity is entirely personal, such as viewing a movie, watching a sporting event via a web feed, or laughing at the latest YouTubeTM post.
  • a typical online social network provides a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of services, including means for users to interact over the internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging.
  • Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks.
  • social networking sites are typically asynchronous. That is, users access network services on their schedule, and review activities, events and interests that have been previously posted by other users within their network. And, if they add content or dialogue to their network, other users will see such posting at a later time, when they access the network.
  • online gaming services connect people in a synchronous fashion. That is, gamers go online and share a gaming experience with each other at the same time.
  • the form of the shared content is predefined: the game that the users are playing.
  • the online games are closed systems, where the content that is experienced by the users is predefined within the gaming environment.
  • the persons with whom the content is shared is also closed and restricted to members involved in the game.
  • a social media platform and method are presented for interacting in a three-dimensional platform.
  • the platform provides the user an interface to a virtual three-dimensional space.
  • the platform also enables the user to connect to one or more extrinsic social networks to which the user belongs, each social network providing a social graph with a list of friends of the user.
  • the platform leverages the social graph to enable the user to invite friends from the one or more social networks to interact in the three-dimensional space.
  • the platform also provides avatars to the user and friends of the user who enter the virtual social venue.
  • the platform leverages the social graph to import a user profile picture from the one or more social networks to which the user belongs, superimposes at least a portion of the user profile picture onto the user's avatar, and displays the avatars with the superimposed profile picture within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • the platform imports streaming images of the user from a camera, superimposes at least a portion of them onto the user's avatar, and displays the avatar with the user's superimposed streaming images within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • FIG. 1 is a screenshot of one embodiment of a three-dimensional virtual social venue with a plurality of viewing surfaces on which extrinsically-sourced two-dimensional content is displayed.
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 are additional screenshots of groups of socially interacting avatars in the virtual social venue of FIG. 1
  • FIG. 4 is a screenshot of one of the billboard displays in the virtual social venue of FIG. 1 , and illustrates the three-dimensional transformation that is applied to two-dimensional media instantiated in the virtual social venue.
  • FIG. 5 is a close-up, zoomed-in screenshot of the billboard display of FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 6 is a screenshot of a web page that is external to the virtual social venue of FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 7 is a screenshot of the web site of FIG. 6 instantiated into the social venue.
  • FIG. 8 is a screenshot of another portion of the virtual social venue of FIG. 1 , depicting monitors that display merchandise for sale.
  • FIG. 9 is a screenshot of a point-of-sale web page that is launched when a user selects one of the merchandise advertising monitors of FIG. 8 .
  • FIG. 10 is a screenshot of a multi-sided jumbotron centered in the virtual social venue of FIG. 1 , one of whose viewing displays includes links to a plurality of selectable video feeds.
  • FIG. 11 depicts a video service selected to feed the viewing display of FIG. 10 .
  • FIG. 12 is a screen shot of a web page containing a widget operable to be instantiated onto a display within the 3D virtual social venue of FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 13 is a screen shot of the widget of FIG. 12 instantiated onto a display surface within the 3D virtual social venue of FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 14 is a screen shot of a virtual laser beam being pointed at a display surface inside the 3D virtual social venue of FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 15 is a screen shot of a visual overlay of digital communication to or from users within the virtual social venue of FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 16 is a screen shot of another portion of the virtual social venue of FIG. 1 , this portion illustrating avatars on whose heads the users' profile images have been imported from the users' social networks.
  • FIG. 17 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a social media platform for instantiating two-dimensional media content in a virtual social venue.
  • FIG. 18 is a block diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a social media platform that provides a virtual social venue including a virtual three dimensional space for sharing two-dimensional media content.
  • FIG. 19 illustrates one embodiment of a virtual social venue with toolbars for inviting friends, identifying admitted friends, identifying the virtual “disc jockey” of a social media event, and expressing emotional responses.
  • FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating feature customization for an avatar with multiple customizable features.
  • FIG. 21 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a process of integrating online social media events from one or more originating social media platforms into a social media platform.
  • FIG. 22 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an architecture that enables a user's emotive activity to be recorded and played back to other users.
  • FIG. 23 is another functional block diagram of an embodiment of a social media platform for implementing a virtual social venue.
  • FIG. 24 is a block diagram of user-related data maintained by one embodiment of the social media platform.
  • FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of a method for instantiating two-dimensional media content in a three-dimensional platform.
  • FIG. 26 is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of a method for sharing two-dimensional media content with users from a social network in a three-dimensional platform.
  • the present invention is directed at taking all of the experiences that are possible for a user on his/her computer, whether browsing content, enjoying video, gaming, or obtaining information, and placing such experiences on a platform that integrates the experiences within the context of a social network.
  • FIG. 1 is a screenshot of one embodiment of a virtual social venue 100 for instantiating extrinsically-sourced media content.
  • the virtual social venue 100 comprises a virtual three-dimensional space—in the illustrated case—a large stadium, for hosting a large gathering of people.
  • the virtual social venue 100 provides a plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces within the virtual three-dimensional space on which to instantiate various streams of extrinsically-sourced media content.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of elevated billboards 101 installed between seating levels of the stadium and large floor-level jumbotron video display 102 wrapping around a field or stage.
  • the billboards 101 and video display 102 are displaying various streams of instantiated media content.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the virtual social venue 100 populated with representations of users admitted from one or more social networks, as well as representations of artificial intelligence (AI) controlled characters.
  • the representations are in the form of three-dimensional animated avatars. Representations may alternatively take any form preferred by the user.
  • seats or standing locations in the virtual social venue 100 are automatically and intelligently assigned to cluster users together as they enter the venue.
  • a moderator or host assigns seats or standing locations to invited users.
  • seats or standing locations are sold or auctioned based upon the relative desirability of the seats.
  • users have the ability and privilege to navigate through the virtual social venue 100 and migrate to unoccupied seats or standing locations that the users select.
  • a user can change seats by double clicking on an empty seat, hitting keys to migrate over to an empty seat, or requesting to sit near someone.
  • multiple avatars cannot occupy the same seat, but a single avatar (particularly an advertising avatar) may be able to occupy multiple locations simultaneously.
  • the virtual social venue 100 enables users to express emotional and/or social responses to the media content they are experiencing, as well as to the activities going on in their virtual environment.
  • the virtual social venue 100 also enables users to interact with the other avatars and participants. Examples of emotional responses and social interactions include but are not limited to standing, waving, booing, cheering, and clapping.
  • FIG. 2 depicts avatars reacting as a mob and individually.
  • all three avatars 103 , 104 and 105 are standing on their feet and reacting to some event as a mob.
  • avatar 105 is reacting differently than avatars 103 and 104 at the moment the screen shot was taken.
  • FIG. 3 depicts an example of a mob of avatars 110 reacting to the participant's avatar 111 .
  • participants may enter and control various AI avatars with which they come into contact.
  • FIGS. 2-3 illustrate social interactions taking place within a virtual social venue embodied as a virtual structure, and more particularly, as a stadium, coliseum or arena.
  • virtual social venues include theaters, stages, conference buildings, and other gathering places.
  • participants with social connectivity can engage in collaborative social activities within the virtual social venue. For example, participants can decide to watch a particular video feed on a display screen in the virtual coliseum within the virtual social venue.
  • the video feed may be a movie, TV series, or any other video content.
  • each user Based upon his or her seating or standing location within the three-dimensional virtual social venue 100 , each user has a unique position and orientation—and corresponding perspective and field of view—within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • media content When media content is instantiated onto a viewing surface 101 or 102 within the three-dimensional space, it is scaled, rotated to a yaw and pitch, and depth-transformed consistent with the relative differences between the user's position and orientation and the viewing surface's position and orientation.
  • This three-dimensional transformation is unique to each user, so it is preferably managed by each user's own client-side hardware resources.
  • FIG. 4 depicts an example of a video screen 121 within the virtual social venue 100 that has been scaled, rotated and depth-transformed to match a user's perspective.
  • the same video or other media is also streamed to other participants to watch, but scaled, rotated and depth-transformed to match those participant's unique perspectives.
  • Each participant's view can be adjusted to zoom in and out of the video screen 121 so that each participant can watch a full-screen version of the video feed with other participants if desired.
  • FIG. 5 depicts zooming into a nearly full-screen version of the video screen 121 . Further zooming would transform the video screen 121 into a non-rotated (fully orthogonal) full-screen view of the media content. Also, once the participant zooms into the screen, additional content may be displayed, such as content 511 . Each participant can also zoom back out from a full-screen view, enabling the participant to select the relative amount of attention to distribute between the media content and the social environment.
  • Each participant can also enlarge their default field of view by zooming out far enough to see their own avatar and the surrounding environment. By zooming out this way, the participant can gain a bird's-eye view of the virtual social venue, and identify (and migrate to) areas that appear to be more lively and active than others.
  • audio content streamed into the virtual social venue is mixed with ambient audio expressions (such as shouting, booing, clapping, or real voice expressions) from the participants.
  • the audio content streamed into the virtual world may also be mixed with attenuated sounds from other media content being instantiated on nearby viewing surfaces.
  • the audio is also preferably streamed to each participant in a 3-D, surround-sound format, with ambient sounds from surrounding sources being attenuated and delayed as a function of the distance between the user's avatar and the source of the sound.
  • zooming into a full-screen version of the video screen 121 has the concomitant effect of attenuating ambient sounds (until the ambient sounds are turned off) and making the media content relatively louder. Zooming out has the opposite effect, increasing the relative loudness of the ambient sounds.
  • the ambient sounds one hears are limited to certain channels or groups of friends.
  • a fully-interactive web page is instantiated on a viewing surface within the virtual social venue. Interactivity with the webpage, however, is preferably limited to a host who instantiates the web page or to a virtual disc jockey who is given control over the media content. In other embodiments, described below, a video stream or widget is instantiated onto the viewing surface.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a screen shot 600 of a web browser that is viewing media content on a computer display.
  • the screen shot 600 includes video content 602 being displayed from the YouTubeTM web site.
  • a browser plugin icon 604 is provided on the toolbar of the browser. After video content is selected within the browser, a user can click on the browser plugin icon 604 .
  • the plugin 604 causes whatever video is being presented within the browser, to also be instantiated and played within the venue.
  • a screen shot 700 is provided depicting a multi-sided jumbotron monitor 704 on which the video content 602 is instantiated.
  • the media that is being played is not just viewed by the user that caused the instantiation. Rather, every participant that is within the virtual social venue 100 , whether from the user's social network, or otherwise within the venue, has the instantiated video content 602 presented to them within the context of the venue, provided that the viewing screen is within that participant's field of view. Thus, the experience of observing the video content 602 is enjoyed by all members of the venue.
  • the selection of the monitor 704 onto which to instantiate a given media stream is customizable. That is, the video content 602 could have been displayed on the monitor 706 , or even one of the remote monitors 708 .
  • the choice of location for displaying externally instantiated video content 602 is definable by either the user who selected the content, or by individual users within the virtual social venue 100 .
  • each user within the venue 100 may select one or more viewing spaces for the instantiated video content. For example, a first user may wish to view the video content 602 on the jumbotron 704 . A second user may wish to view the content on the monitor 708 .
  • Mechanisms are provided to allow users to move content between display areas, as well as to queue instantiated content for later viewing. Additionally, different users in a venue may be given different rolls: owner, administrator, moderator, spectators and guests. Each of these user types have different privileges and controls available to them for instantiating or moving content from external sources.
  • the browser plugin icon 604 may be used by an owner, administrator or moderator, to queue up content for display in a later venue.
  • a user can surf the web in his/her browser, and when they find desired content, can use the browser plugin 604 to add media content to a queue, for later play.
  • the content can then be placed into displays as desired.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates a screen shot 800 depicting another portion of the virtual social venue 100 .
  • the venue 100 includes a plurality of billboards 804 .
  • the billboards 804 are placeholders for content, whether still pictures, data, or video.
  • the billboards 804 may feed content into the venue 802 , either individually, where each billboard 804 contains different content, or collectively, where each billboard 804 contains the same content.
  • the content within each billboard 804 may be populated and managed by any one of the plurality of user types described above.
  • the content within the billboards 804 may contain advertisements that are related to the content that is being viewed within the venue 802 .
  • billboards 804 may “advertise” similar video games, or pre-orders for games not yet released.
  • the video content being experienced within the venue 802 is a movie
  • billboards 804 may display trailers to movies that are similar to that being viewed, or movies by the same director, or having the same primary actors/actresses.
  • the uses available for the billboards 804 are not restricted, and may relate directly or indirectly to the content being experienced within the venue 802 .
  • FIG. 9 illustrates a screen shot 900 of an online merchant where merchandise 902 advertised in the billboard 804 is shown.
  • a user within the venue 802 that wants to purchase merchandise that is advertised on the billboard 804 simply clicks on the billboard 804 .
  • a browser is opened, either as an overlay within the venue 802 , or on a screen outside the venue 802 , that provides the user with an opportunity to purchase the merchandise 902 .
  • the merchandise is a video game.
  • the merchandise could be any product that may be purchased, whether video games, movies, clothing, jewelry, electronics, etc.
  • the types of products that may be linked to the billboard 804 are not limited.
  • the billboards 804 may be selected for the purpose of linking the user to content outside of the venue 802 , whether related or unrelated to the viewing experience within the venue 802 , without interrupting or pausing the activities going on in the virtual social venue 100 .
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a screen shot 1000 of a display 1002 viewable by users within the virtual social venue 100 .
  • the display 1002 displays a plurality of video feed possibilities 1004 , for instantiation into the video display 1002 .
  • video feeds from HuluTM, Machinima.comTM and YouTubeTM are shown, although others are anticipated.
  • the web site associated with the video feed is presented within the display 1002 .
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a screen shot 1100 of the display 1002 after the video feed 1004 for HuluTM is selected.
  • a user or video moderator
  • the video feed begins playing on the display 1002 and is seen by the user that selected the video feed.
  • the content on the display 1002 is also viewable by everyone that is participating in the social venue.
  • the video feed is private to the user who selected the video feed.
  • the video feed is fed to everyone within the social venue.
  • an administrator or moderator may select not only the video feed to be displayed, but also the group or subgroup of users within the social venue that can see the video feed.
  • users that are selected, or otherwise able to view the video feed can choose to move the video feed to any display, or the display of their choice, for experiencing the content. In this manner, a user can select one or more video feeds for populating displays within the social venue for the enjoyment of all or subgroups of users.
  • FIG. 12 illustrates a screen shot 1200 of a widget 1202 that has been created in a browser.
  • a widget is a mini application, typically created using HTML.
  • widgets are capable of many different things, often performing tasks that would be tedious or complicated for the user to access manually.
  • Widgets can be as simple as a mini program that displays the time of day, or monitors stock quotes for selected companies, but may be more sophisticated, such as a mini program that monitors a user's real time score for players in a fantasy sporting league.
  • any widget that can be designed for use within an internet browser can be instantiated into one or more displays within the 3D social venue environment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 illustrates a screen shot 1300 of a portion 1302 of the virtual social venue 100 .
  • a display 1304 onto which the widget 1202 has been instantiated.
  • the user or venue moderator
  • the user can selectively instantiate one or more widgets onto displays that are viewable only by the user, and/or can instantiate one or more widgets onto displays that are viewable by subgroups, groups, or anyone within the current social venue.
  • a widget might be designed to track betting odds for two sports teams, during a game.
  • the betting widget could then be instantiated into a social venue that is playing the game, so that it continuously updates the odds for the users who desire to see it.
  • the present invention is not be limited to any particular type of widget, or the number of users within the social venue that can view its contents.
  • FIG. 14 illustrates a screen shot 1400 depicting a portion of the virtual social venue 100 .
  • a display is shown onto which a widget 1402 has been instantiated (as described above with respect to FIG. 13 ).
  • a laser pointer 1404 is shown, pointed at an area within the widget 1402 .
  • the laser is a user selectable tool provided within a platform providing the virtual social venue, to allow a user to identify an area within the venue to one or more users. More specifically, a user can obtain a selection tool, such as a laser (or flashlight, or crosshairs, or any of a plurality of identifiers), and can then select a portion of the social venue for identifying to other users a location that they are to examine.
  • a selection tool such as a laser (or flashlight, or crosshairs, or any of a plurality of identifiers)
  • a group of users are looking for the avatar of a friend that is among the users within the social venue, and one of the users knows where the avatar is sitting, s/he can point to them using a selection tool, and all of the users in the group can see where the user is pointing.
  • a social venue may be set up for viewing a painting, or photograph, or other piece of art to be examined by a group of users.
  • the instructor may zoom in to the painting, to a very granular, or pixel level, and can use a selection tool to direct the users to pay attention to a particular area that is being displayed.
  • a selection tool can be used to direct the users to pay attention to a particular area that is being displayed.
  • pointing devices are envisioned. What is relevant is that a user can choose a selection tool and then use that tool for display to one or more users within the social venue.
  • FIG. 15 illustrates a screen shot 1500 depicting a portion 1502 of the virtual social venue 100 .
  • Streams 1504 have been overlaid onto the social venue between users that are sending or receiving digital communications in the venue.
  • users within the social venue may have similar forms of communication.
  • users can chat directly with one or more other users, either within the social venue, or to other users that are within their social network, but not a part of the current social venue viewing experience.
  • the present invention preferably using the application programming interfaces of any linked extrinsic social networks—tracks the communications made by all users within the social venue, and provides visual overlays of the communications. For example, if two users within the social venue are chatting with each other, streams of blue light will flow between the two users, depending on where they are sitting in the social venue, representing texts that are sent or received between the users. In addition, if a user receives a communication from someone in their social network that is outside the social venue, a red stream will drop down from outside the venue onto the user for which the communication is intended.
  • the digital communication is delayed briefly, so that the recipient does not actually receive the communication until after the stream representing the communication, arrives.
  • a user can readily see which users are actively communicating, either by receiving messages or sending them.
  • any form of communication that can be monitored by the platform providing the virtual social venue 100 may be visually represented within the social venue in a graphical way.
  • FIG. 16 illustrates a screen shot 1600 depicting another portion 1602 of the virtual social venue 100 .
  • graphical representations 1604 are overlaid onto avatars.
  • the avatars within the portion 1602 represent users that are participating within the virtual social venue 100 .
  • the social media platform imports a graphical representation for each user, from his or her social network (e.g., FacebookTM), and overlays the graphical representation onto the users associated avatar.
  • a user's virtual avatar is made personal to the user. That is, the avatars are not simply objects which represent each user, but rather are made personal to each user by overlaying onto avatar, a users own photograph, or other graphical representation.
  • users within the social venue may be recognized, both by friends in their social network, as well as by others within the social venue.
  • a user when a user joins the social venue, their graphical representation is imported from their social network, and overlaid onto an avatar that represents the user.
  • a user's choice of graphical representation may be a picture of the user, a video, or any arbitrary image that they would like to use to represent themselves within their social network. For instance, a user may choose to instantiate a thumbnail sketch or icon of a website, video feed, or other virtual social venue on their avatar.
  • the face of the avatar is just one of many surfaces that may be overlaid with extrinsically-sourced content. Users may also purchase apparel or body art to overlay other avatar surfaces. Also, the avatars themselves may be customized. A cola vendor could purchase 1000 seats in a football venue and choose cola cans or bottles or even animated cola commercials as their avatars. The cola avatars would emote and be influenced by the crowd.
  • FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a server network embodiment of a social media platform 1700 for instantiating two-dimensional media content in a virtual social venue.
  • the social media platform 1700 comprises a plurality of high speed port servers 1710 , message queuing servers 1720 , a database cluster 1730 , logic servers 1740 , security access servers 1750 , proxy servers 1760 , and web servers 1770 .
  • the social media platform 1700 further comprises local logic servers 1745 running through a web client 1780 and on a variety of client devices, including desktop clients 1702 , tablets 1704 , smartphones 1706 , laptops and notebooks 1708 , and any other processing device capable of accessing a network.
  • the client When a client logs into the social media platform 1700 , the client communicates through port server 1710 to message queuing server 1720 .
  • the message queuing server 1720 talks to the security access/server 1750 to authenticate the login.
  • Venue management is handled by remote logic servers 1740 , through message queuing servers 1720 , and local logic servers 1745 installed on each client device.
  • Extrinsic two-dimensional media content (such as video streams) are fed directly from the third party's URL (e.g., Youtube) to clients.
  • the remote logic server 1740 directs clients in the virtual social venue to the URL.
  • the clients, with their local logic servers 1745 manage the extrinsic two-dimensional media content themselves, including transforming the media to fit the structural environment provided by the virtual social venue.
  • the client 1702 , 1704 , 1706 , 1708 include a video display for presenting the instantiated media, within the context of the virtual social venue, to the user.
  • the media may include video (movies, television, web cams, games), audio, still images, web browser content (web sites, web applications, widgets, computer data or applications), or any other content that may be accessed for display.
  • User control of the client devices 1702 , 1704 , 1706 , 1708 is achieved using input devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, or any other type of device.
  • FIG. 18 is a block diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a social media platform 1800 that provides a virtual social venue 1810 including a virtual three dimensional space 1820 for sharing two-dimensional media content.
  • the three dimensional space 1820 is typically a virtual three-dimensional representation of a large physical structure—such as a theater, stadium, coliseum, arena, stage, or conference center.
  • the virtual representation provides one or more common seating or standing areas for an audience of virtual representations of people (e.g., avatars 1850 , 1851 , etc.) to sit or stand in proximity to one another.
  • a three-dimensional graphics engine (not shown)—preferably one suitable for generating graphics for a massively multiplayer online game—is provided to generate the three-dimensional environment.
  • the shared two-dimensional media content is presented on one or more viewing surfaces 1830 within the virtual three-dimensional space 1820 .
  • FIG. 18 illustrates a virtual theater screen in a moderately-sized theater.
  • FIGS. 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, and 13 by comparison, illustrate a plurality of virtual billboards and jumbotron screens in a large stadium.
  • the shared two-dimensional media content may comprise a web page 1870 , a video stream 1872 , a widget 1874 , or other externally sourced two-dimensional media content 1876 .
  • the social media platform 1800 When the shared two-dimensional media content comprises something that is interactive, such as a webpage with links and text fields, the social media platform 1800 enables a host user—or a user designated as a virtual disc jockey—to interact with the shared media content. Those interactions are displayed on the viewing surface 1830 , along with the shared media content, to both the host user or virtual disc jockey and the other users admitted to the virtual social venue 1810 .
  • the social media platform 1800 is, in effect, instantiating a skinless web browser onto the viewing surface 1830 and scaling it, rotating it, skewing it, and otherwise three-dimensionally transforming it in a manner consistent with each admitted user's unique position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space 1820 .
  • the virtual social venue 1810 is populated with users invited and admitted from one or more extrinsic social networks 1860 .
  • Users admitted to the social venue 1810 are either assigned a unique or exclusive position (e.g., a seat 1840 , 1841 , etc., or a standing location as shown in FIG. 2 ) within the social venue 1810 , or they are permitted to navigate and migrate through the social venue 1810 and select an unoccupied position from which to share the media experience. In either case, each user is provided with a unique position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space to experience the shared two-dimensional media content.
  • Each position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space has a different field of view 1835 .
  • the social media platform 1800 displays the shared two-dimensional media content to each user with a yaw and pitch consistent with the differences between the position and orientation provided to the user and the position and orientation of the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface.
  • the social media platform 1800 three-dimensionally transforms the shared two-dimensional media content—often consisting of streaming video—in real time to each user in a manner consistent with each user's unique relative position and orientation.
  • FIG. 18 also illustrates the importation and mapping of other extrinsic content into the virtual social venue 1810 .
  • profile pictures 1862 are imported from the one or more social networks 1860 and mapped onto the avatars 1850 , 1851 , etc., of admitted users.
  • streaming facial images 1855 are imported from users' web cams and mapped onto the corresponding avatars 1850 , 1851 , etc.
  • text communications 1861 may also be detected and/or imported from the one or more social networks 1860 and represented within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • voice communications 1856 are imported from users' microphones or web cams and reproduced in the virtual three-dimensional space 1820 for other participants to hear.
  • the reproduction of sounds is done after filtering the audio expressions to cancel noises sourced from the virtual social venue, including the shared media content.
  • the audio expressions of surrounding participating users are reproduced for each user in a surround-sound scheme correlated and consistent with the relative spatial arrangement of the participating user with surrounding participating users.
  • the surround-sound is rotated to that user in a manner correlated and consistent with the relative rotation of the participating user's avatar within the virtual social venue.
  • the audio expressions received by any given recipient is attenuated and delayed as a function of the virtual distance between the recipient's avatar and the producer's avatar.
  • detected motion gestures 1857 are imported from participating users' motion detecting apparatuses (e.g., Microsoft's KinectTM device or another third party gross motion, gesture, and/or emotion detecting device) and imitated through animations of their avatars.
  • each user who enters the virtual social venue 1810 is provided with a three-dimensional animated avatar that can render any of a plurality of emotional expressions with corresponding virtual physical gestures (e.g., jumping, arm-waving, cheering, booing, clapping).
  • FIG. 19 illustrates one embodiment of a virtual social venue 1910 with toolbars for inviting friends, identifying admitted friends, identifying the virtual “disc jockey” of a social media event, and expressing emotional responses.
  • a virtual social venue 1910 will be populated with users who are friends, or friends of friends, etc., of a host user.
  • each user including the host user—authorizes the social media platform 1800 to access information associated with the user's social network account, including the identities of friends.
  • the social media platform 1800 uses this information to populate a friend toolbar 1965 with thumbnails 1962 of profile pictures of friends retrieved from a host user's one or more social networks.
  • the thumbnails 1962 are arranged by alphabetical order of the corresponding friend's names.
  • the virtual social venue 1910 When a host user hovers their selection tool (e.g., mouse pointer) over a thumbnail 1962 , the virtual social venue 1910 displays the corresponding friend's name. A host user can invite friends to join the virtual social venue by selecting the thumbnails 1962 . Toolbar scroll arrows 1967 enable the host user to scroll through the thumbnail images 1962 .
  • selection tool e.g., mouse pointer
  • the social media platform 1800 also populates a guest toolbar 1970 with thumbnails 1972 of the profile pictures of users who accept the invitation and are admitted into the virtual social venue 1910 .
  • the social media platform 1800 also populates a larger box 1975 with the thumbnail image of the host user or virtual disc jockey—that is, the user who is controlling which media content to display and share on the viewing surface 1830 .
  • the social media platform 1800 also provides an “emot” toolbar 1980 comprising selectable text or icons with which users can indicate an emotional response (such as booing, clapping, or laughing) to the shared media content.
  • FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating feature customization for an avatar 2010 with multiple customizable features.
  • users are provided with the ability to select an avatar 2010 and customize various avatar features, such as height, size, hair style, etc.
  • Users may purchase fashionable virtual clothing from an avatar apparel store 2030 with which to clothe their avatar 2010 .
  • users may navigate their avatars 2010 to a selected position and orientation within a virtual social venue, and the avatar will animate in a manner (e.g., walking or turning) consistent with those navigation movements.
  • users may also make their avatars 2010 gesture and express emotional responses.
  • the user's social network profile picture may be mapped onto the avatar's face.
  • the user's voice and text communications may be represented by the avatar's facial and lip movements or by other representations (such as streams of light or text bubbles) in proximity to the avatar 2010 .
  • FIG. 21 depicts one embodiment of a process 2100 of integrating social media into a social media platform.
  • Process 2100 begins with granting access to a social venue within the social media platform to a participant through an entry point (operation 2101 ).
  • the entry point is a website dedicated to operating and managing the social media platform. This website can be generated by a social media module.
  • the entry point can be a widget, banner, or other link within, or external to, one or more originating platforms online social media network with which the participant is associated.
  • the participants may be associated with multiple social media networks.
  • the entry point can be generated by a viral feature of the online social network.
  • an invitation from the participant to a contact to join in the social media platform can cause a link to be placed in the contact's inbox. Once the contact clicks on this link, he or she is granted access to the social venue within the social media platform.
  • Other viral features may be used as an entry point to the social media platform such as newsfeeds and minifeeds generated within the originating social media platforms.
  • the participant's social graph having contacts information of the participant is automatically ported into the platform so that the viral features of the originating online social media network can be integrated with the social media platform (operation 2103 ).
  • the participant is prompted to invite one or more contacts from the participant's social graph to join in the combined social media platform. If any contacts accept the invitation, they become additional participants (operation 2106 ) and the process repeats.
  • Social media events associated with the participants who joined in the MMOG can also be streamed into the social venue from their respective originating online social networks (operation 2107 ). These social media event streams may be displayed in real-time while the participants are interacting with the combined social media platform (operation 2109 ).
  • the type and quantity of social media event streams received by an individual participant are user-configurable.
  • the social media event streams may also be turned off at any time by each participant.
  • the social media events may be displayed on any display area within the combined social media platform.
  • the social media events may be displayed on a display screen or monitor, wall, billboard, blimp, rocket, airplane, or fireworks display within the combined social media platform, to name a few. This completes process 2100 .
  • FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an environment 2200 for a social media platform. More specifically, a social media platform 2206 is coupled to a network 2212 . User devices 2210 are also coupled to the network 2212 , and access social venues 2204 via the network 2212 . When a user device logs into a social venue 2204 , the social media platform 2206 imports metadata associated with the user of the user device 2210 from their profile in their social network 2202 . This allows the graphical representation described above with respect to FIG. 16 to be displayed on the user's associated avatar.
  • the social media platform 2206 records emotive activity of users over time during presentation of content played within a social venue and stores their emotive activity in an emot database 2208 .
  • the emotive activity correlates in time with the video content that is presented within the social venue. Since the emotive activity is recorded in sync with the content that is experienced, it is possible to reconstruct emotive activity of a user.
  • ghost avatars may exist within social venues 2204 . More specifically, if content has been presented in a social venue 2204 , and users have had emotive activity during presentation of the content, then the emotive activity is stored in the emot database 2208 . If at a later time, the content is presented to other users, then ghost avatars from the previous viewing can appear within the social venue 2204 , and their emotive activity can be presented alongside activity expressed by live users. Thus, the experience of viewing content can be cumulatively enhanced as more and more users view the content and their emotive activity is recorded. For example, a user might be viewing content with only a few other live users. However, the social venue 2204 may have been previously viewed by thousands of others. In one embodiment, the cumulative emotive activity of all users that have viewed the content may be replayed along with the content, thus enhancing the overall viewing experience of the live users.
  • FIG. 23 is another functional block diagram of an embodiment of a social media platform 2300 for implementing a virtual social venue.
  • the social media platform 2300 includes a three-dimensional graphics engine 2310 that generates the three-dimensional environment for the virtual social venue.
  • the social media platform 2300 also includes a virtual representation of three-dimensional space—that is, a spatial architecture 2330 for the virtual social venue.
  • the social media platform 2300 also provides customizable avatar form and appearance templates 2340 , enabling users to adopt an avatar with a form and appearance to their liking.
  • the social media platform 2300 leverages the social relational data and communications facilities of extrinsic social networks to populate the virtual social venue and—in effect—to bring it to life.
  • the social media platform 2300 includes one or more data interfaces 2322 to extrinsic social networks that use application programming interfaces associated with those social networks to authenticate users and pass and retrieve information (such as text communications and friend lists) to and from those social networks. Communications between admitted users, such as user texts or chats 2325 , is preferably handled by the one or more extrinsic social networks and then represented in the virtual social venue in some form (such as text bubbles or streams of light).
  • the social media platform 2300 populates the virtual social venue with users invited and admitted from one or more social networks 2320 .
  • the social media platform 2300 includes a user list 2328 to track all of the users admitted to the social venue.
  • the social media platform 2300 also continually tracks user spatial data 2342 , such as the position and orientation of each user's avatar, as various users navigate and migrate about the venue social venue.
  • the social media platform 2300 also leverages media content sourced from extrinsic media providers.
  • the social media platform 2300 includes a browser plug-in interface 2360 enabling an interactive browser web page 2350 to be instantiated (with its interactive features maintained) onto a viewing surface within the three-dimensional environment provided by the virtual social venue.
  • the social media platform 2300 also includes a streaming media interface 2362 enabling streaming media content 2352 from a third party streaming media provider to be instantiated within the three-dimensional environment.
  • the social media platform 2300 also includes a widget interface 2364 enabling a widget 2354 to execute within the three-dimensional environment.
  • the social media platform 2300 also includes a client user interface 2344 for presenting the virtual social venue to a client and receiving and responding to user navigation and control 2346 .
  • User navigation and controls 2346 include commands related to the navigation of a user's avatar, selection of friends to invite to the virtual social venue, and emotional responses to the third party media content.
  • FIG. 24 is a block diagram 2400 of user-related data maintained by one embodiment of the social media platform 2300 .
  • the social media platform 2300 includes a user list 2410 identifying each user admitted to or participating in a virtual social venue.
  • the social media platform 2300 also includes, for each user, a basic user information record 2420 including fields for the user's unique id, profile name, and Boolean flags indicating whether the user is active and/or logged in.
  • the social media platform 2300 also maintains a record 2430 identifying information related to the location and spatial position of each user's avatar. This includes an avatar ID, a venue ID, seat ID, authorization ID, X, Y, and Z position, as well as the yaw, pitch, roll, and relative zoom extent of the user's field of view.
  • FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram 2500 of one embodiment of a method for instantiating two-dimensional media content in a three-dimensional platform.
  • Functional block 2510 provides a user interface comprising a navigable three-dimensional space.
  • Functional block 2520 provides one or more virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • Functional block 2530 instantiates externally-sourced two-dimensional content onto the virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces.
  • the two-dimensional content may comprise a fully-interactive web page 2532 , a video stream 2534 , a widget 2536 , or some other content.
  • Functional block 2540 provides the user with a representation, position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • the representation of the user is typically in the form of an avatar.
  • the avatar's position (e.g., a seat or standing location) may be automatically determined, selected and assigned by the host, or the user may be given the ability and privilege to navigate his/her avatar to a user-selected position within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • the user is also provided with the ability to rotate the avatar or the avatar's head to a selected orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • the user is provided with a field of view consistent with the selected position and orientation of the user's avatar (or other representation) within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • Function block 2550 drives the externally-sourced two-dimensional content directly from the third party provider to each user.
  • the two-dimensional content is spatially transformed (preferably using rendering software installed on each user's machine) to fit the context of the virtual three-dimensional space. This includes transforming the two-dimensional content to a yaw and pitch consistent with the relative orientations and positions of each user and viewing surface. If any portion of the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface is within a user's field of view, that portion of the instantiated two-dimensional media content will be displayed to that user.
  • Function block 2560 maintains any ability to interact with the instantiated content within the three-dimensional environment. For example, if a web page with text fields and links is instantiated on the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface, then the user is able to interact with the instantiated web page from within the virtual three-dimensional space. This includes enabling the user to type into the text field and to select any link on the web page from within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • FIG. 26 is a functional block diagram 2600 of one embodiment of a method for sharing two-dimensional media content with users from a social network in a three-dimensional platform.
  • Functional block 2610 provides a virtual social venue comprising a navigable three-dimensional space.
  • the three-dimensional space typically includes a large physical structure that provides one or more seating or standing areas for an audience of virtual representations of people (e.g., avatars) to sit or stand in proximity to one another.
  • Functional block 2620 provides the ability to invite users from the social network to participate in the virtual social venue. This ability may be limited to a single host user or extended to multiple hosts or even to all users, until the social venue reaches its admittance capacity.
  • Functional block 2630 provides three-dimensional animated avatars to admitted users and populates the seating or standing area with the avatars.
  • Functional block 2630 provides one or more screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces in the three-dimensional space on which to instantiate the extrinsically-sourced two-dimensional media.
  • Functional block 2650 bequeaths a user with disc-jockey privileges over typically just one of the screens, billboards, windows, or viewing surfaces.
  • a user with disc-jockey privileges controls and selects the extrinsically-sourced two-dimensional media content to share with the audience on the viewing surface the disc jockey controls.
  • the disc jockey can also interact with the instantiated media content from within the virtual three-dimensional space.
  • other viewing surfaces will be occupied by advertisements related either to the content to be shown or to one or more users' consumer interests.
  • Functional block 2660 spatially transforms the extrinsically-sourced media to fit the perspective of each user's avatar.
  • each avatar has a unique position and corresponding field of view from within the virtual social venue.
  • Functional block 2470 displays the extrinsically-sourced media while simultaneously displaying the avatars of neighboring participating users to each of the participating users.
  • the virtual social venue and any instantiated media content is displayed to each avatar from that avatar's unique perspective and field of view. This includes transforming the instantiated media content to a yaw and pitch consistent with the relative orientations and positions of each user's avatar to the viewing surface.
  • Functional block 2680 enables users to navigate about the three-dimensional space, and to zoom the viewing surface into full view, while adjusting the spatial display and three-dimensional transformations accordingly.
  • a user can zoom in from the default perspective that his/her avatar would have in the virtual social venue to a view in which the instantiated media content is full-screen and orthogonal (no longer three-dimensionally transformed).
  • the user can zoom back out, all the way from a full-screen view back to the default perspective.
  • the user can continue to zoom out from the default position, giving the user a view of not only the objects in front of the user's avatar, but also the user's avatar itself and the surrounding context.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Development Economics (AREA)
  • Finance (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Game Theory and Decision Science (AREA)
  • Economics (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Computer Graphics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)
  • User Interface Of Digital Computer (AREA)

Abstract

A social media platform is provided for interacting in a three-dimensional platform. The platform leverages a social graph from a user's social network to enable the user to invite social networking friends to interact within a three-dimensional virtual social venue. The platform also provides avatars to the user and friends who enter the virtual social venue. The platform also leverages the social graph to import user profile pictures from the social network, superimpose them onto the avatars, and display the avatars with the superimposed profile pictures within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space. Alternatively, the platform imports streaming images of the users from cameras, superimpose them onto the avatars, and display the avatars with their superimposed streaming images within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/969,487, filed Dec. 15, 2010, entitled “A 3D SOCIAL PLATFORM FOR SHARING VIDEOS AND WEBPAGES,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
This application also claims the benefit of the following U.S. Provisional Applications which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all intents and purposes:
Ser. No. Filing Date Title
61/312,542 Mar. 10, 2010 MANIFESTING SOCIAL MEDIA EVENTS
(ODDM.0100) IN A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM
61/415,345 Nov. 19, 2010 INCORPORATING MULTIPLE WEB
(ODDM.0101) BROWSERS INTO A 3D PLATFORM
CONNECTED TO SOCIAL NETWORKS
FOR DISPLAYING REAL-TIME CONTENT
FROM THE SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS
61/415,348 Nov. 19, 2010 DYNAMICALLY LOADING CONTENT
(ODDM.0102) FROM MULTIPLE NETWORKS INTO A
3D SOCIAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT
61/415,350 Nov. 19, 2010 RENDERING SOCIAL MEDIA
(ODDM.0104) COMMUNICATIONS AS REAL-TIME
GRAPHICAL INTERACTIONS IN A 3D
SPACE
61/415,351 Nov. 19, 2010 IMPORTING AND OVERLAYING
(ODDM.0105) GRAPHICAL IMAGES ONTO
INTERACTIVE AVATARS WITHIN A
VIRTUAL SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
61/415,353 Nov. 19, 2010 PRIORITIZING A SEMI-PERSISTENT
(ODDM.0107) USER PROFILE WITHIN A 3D PLATFORM
61/415,344 Nov. 19, 2010 MECHANISM FOR INSTANTIATING
(ODDM.0122) MEDIA CONTENT INTO A SOCIAL
NETWORKING VENUE FROM AN
INTERNET BROWSER
61/415,349 Nov. 19, 2010 INSTANTIATION OF WIDGETS WITHIN
(ODDM.0123) DISPLAYS IN A 3D SOCIAL VENUE
ENVIRONMENT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a platform for providing social networking services within a virtual venue to allow for interaction between users with third-party media content, and more specifically to a method for instantiating facial images onto 3D avatars within the virtual venue.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
People utilize computers to access or generate information, to produce content, to communicate with others, to experience media (music, television, movies, or other video), and to play games. However, most computer experiences are not shared by multiple users, because they are isolated from each other in terms of geography, chronology, or with respect to the content that they accessed. Whatever activity that a computer user experiences is typically either asynchronous to other users (such as email, viewing and posting within a social network service, etc.), or synchronous within a closed environment (such as online gaming). Alternatively, the activity is entirely personal, such as viewing a movie, watching a sporting event via a web feed, or laughing at the latest YouTube™ post.
The last few years have witnessed the rise of online social networks to connect people with friends, acquaintances, and enable them to share interests, pictures, videos, emails, and the like. A typical online social network provides a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of services, including means for users to interact over the internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks.
However, such social networking sites are typically asynchronous. That is, users access network services on their schedule, and review activities, events and interests that have been previously posted by other users within their network. And, if they add content or dialogue to their network, other users will see such posting at a later time, when they access the network.
By contrast, online gaming services connect people in a synchronous fashion. That is, gamers go online and share a gaming experience with each other at the same time. However, the form of the shared content is predefined: the game that the users are playing. The online games are closed systems, where the content that is experienced by the users is predefined within the gaming environment. Moreover, the persons with whom the content is shared is also closed and restricted to members involved in the game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A social media platform and method are presented for interacting in a three-dimensional platform. The platform provides the user an interface to a virtual three-dimensional space. The platform also enables the user to connect to one or more extrinsic social networks to which the user belongs, each social network providing a social graph with a list of friends of the user. The platform leverages the social graph to enable the user to invite friends from the one or more social networks to interact in the three-dimensional space. The platform also provides avatars to the user and friends of the user who enter the virtual social venue. In one embodiment, the platform leverages the social graph to import a user profile picture from the one or more social networks to which the user belongs, superimposes at least a portion of the user profile picture onto the user's avatar, and displays the avatars with the superimposed profile picture within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space. In another embodiment, the platform imports streaming images of the user from a camera, superimposes at least a portion of them onto the user's avatar, and displays the avatar with the user's superimposed streaming images within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
These and other features and embodiments of the invention will be apparent in connection with the attached drawings and detailed disclosure that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a screenshot of one embodiment of a three-dimensional virtual social venue with a plurality of viewing surfaces on which extrinsically-sourced two-dimensional content is displayed.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are additional screenshots of groups of socially interacting avatars in the virtual social venue of FIG. 1
FIG. 4 is a screenshot of one of the billboard displays in the virtual social venue of FIG. 1, and illustrates the three-dimensional transformation that is applied to two-dimensional media instantiated in the virtual social venue.
FIG. 5 is a close-up, zoomed-in screenshot of the billboard display of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a screenshot of a web page that is external to the virtual social venue of FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a screenshot of the web site of FIG. 6 instantiated into the social venue.
FIG. 8 is a screenshot of another portion of the virtual social venue of FIG. 1, depicting monitors that display merchandise for sale.
FIG. 9 is a screenshot of a point-of-sale web page that is launched when a user selects one of the merchandise advertising monitors of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a screenshot of a multi-sided jumbotron centered in the virtual social venue of FIG. 1, one of whose viewing displays includes links to a plurality of selectable video feeds.
FIG. 11 depicts a video service selected to feed the viewing display of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a screen shot of a web page containing a widget operable to be instantiated onto a display within the 3D virtual social venue of FIG. 1.
FIG. 13 is a screen shot of the widget of FIG. 12 instantiated onto a display surface within the 3D virtual social venue of FIG. 1.
FIG. 14 is a screen shot of a virtual laser beam being pointed at a display surface inside the 3D virtual social venue of FIG. 1.
FIG. 15 is a screen shot of a visual overlay of digital communication to or from users within the virtual social venue of FIG. 1.
FIG. 16 is a screen shot of another portion of the virtual social venue of FIG. 1, this portion illustrating avatars on whose heads the users' profile images have been imported from the users' social networks.
FIG. 17 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a social media platform for instantiating two-dimensional media content in a virtual social venue.
FIG. 18 is a block diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a social media platform that provides a virtual social venue including a virtual three dimensional space for sharing two-dimensional media content.
FIG. 19 illustrates one embodiment of a virtual social venue with toolbars for inviting friends, identifying admitted friends, identifying the virtual “disc jockey” of a social media event, and expressing emotional responses.
FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating feature customization for an avatar with multiple customizable features.
FIG. 21 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a process of integrating online social media events from one or more originating social media platforms into a social media platform.
FIG. 22 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an architecture that enables a user's emotive activity to be recorded and played back to other users.
FIG. 23 is another functional block diagram of an embodiment of a social media platform for implementing a virtual social venue.
FIG. 24 is a block diagram of user-related data maintained by one embodiment of the social media platform.
FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of a method for instantiating two-dimensional media content in a three-dimensional platform.
FIG. 26 is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of a method for sharing two-dimensional media content with users from a social network in a three-dimensional platform.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed at taking all of the experiences that are possible for a user on his/her computer, whether browsing content, enjoying video, gaming, or obtaining information, and placing such experiences on a platform that integrates the experiences within the context of a social network.
FIG. 1 is a screenshot of one embodiment of a virtual social venue 100 for instantiating extrinsically-sourced media content. The virtual social venue 100 comprises a virtual three-dimensional space—in the illustrated case—a large stadium, for hosting a large gathering of people. The virtual social venue 100 provides a plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces within the virtual three-dimensional space on which to instantiate various streams of extrinsically-sourced media content. FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of elevated billboards 101 installed between seating levels of the stadium and large floor-level jumbotron video display 102 wrapping around a field or stage. The billboards 101 and video display 102 are displaying various streams of instantiated media content.
FIG. 2 illustrates the virtual social venue 100 populated with representations of users admitted from one or more social networks, as well as representations of artificial intelligence (AI) controlled characters. In FIG. 2, the representations are in the form of three-dimensional animated avatars. Representations may alternatively take any form preferred by the user. In some embodiments, seats or standing locations in the virtual social venue 100 are automatically and intelligently assigned to cluster users together as they enter the venue. In other embodiments, a moderator or host assigns seats or standing locations to invited users. In yet other embodiments, seats or standing locations are sold or auctioned based upon the relative desirability of the seats. In yet further embodiments, users have the ability and privilege to navigate through the virtual social venue 100 and migrate to unoccupied seats or standing locations that the users select. A user can change seats by double clicking on an empty seat, hitting keys to migrate over to an empty seat, or requesting to sit near someone. In the preferred embodiments, multiple avatars cannot occupy the same seat, but a single avatar (particularly an advertising avatar) may be able to occupy multiple locations simultaneously.
The virtual social venue 100 enables users to express emotional and/or social responses to the media content they are experiencing, as well as to the activities going on in their virtual environment. The virtual social venue 100 also enables users to interact with the other avatars and participants. Examples of emotional responses and social interactions include but are not limited to standing, waving, booing, cheering, and clapping.
FIG. 2 depicts avatars reacting as a mob and individually. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, all three avatars 103, 104 and 105 are standing on their feet and reacting to some event as a mob. However, avatar 105 is reacting differently than avatars 103 and 104 at the moment the screen shot was taken. These avatars also perform actions responsive to the participants' controls or other actions or events occurring within the virtual social venue 100. FIG. 3 depicts an example of a mob of avatars 110 reacting to the participant's avatar 111. In addition, participants may enter and control various AI avatars with which they come into contact.
FIGS. 2-3 illustrate social interactions taking place within a virtual social venue embodied as a virtual structure, and more particularly, as a stadium, coliseum or arena. Other embodiments of virtual social venues include theaters, stages, conference buildings, and other gathering places. In at least one embodiment, participants with social connectivity can engage in collaborative social activities within the virtual social venue. For example, participants can decide to watch a particular video feed on a display screen in the virtual coliseum within the virtual social venue. The video feed may be a movie, TV series, or any other video content.
Based upon his or her seating or standing location within the three-dimensional virtual social venue 100, each user has a unique position and orientation—and corresponding perspective and field of view—within the virtual three-dimensional space. When media content is instantiated onto a viewing surface 101 or 102 within the three-dimensional space, it is scaled, rotated to a yaw and pitch, and depth-transformed consistent with the relative differences between the user's position and orientation and the viewing surface's position and orientation. This three-dimensional transformation is unique to each user, so it is preferably managed by each user's own client-side hardware resources.
FIG. 4 depicts an example of a video screen 121 within the virtual social venue 100 that has been scaled, rotated and depth-transformed to match a user's perspective. The same video or other media is also streamed to other participants to watch, but scaled, rotated and depth-transformed to match those participant's unique perspectives.
Each participant's view can be adjusted to zoom in and out of the video screen 121 so that each participant can watch a full-screen version of the video feed with other participants if desired. FIG. 5 depicts zooming into a nearly full-screen version of the video screen 121. Further zooming would transform the video screen 121 into a non-rotated (fully orthogonal) full-screen view of the media content. Also, once the participant zooms into the screen, additional content may be displayed, such as content 511. Each participant can also zoom back out from a full-screen view, enabling the participant to select the relative amount of attention to distribute between the media content and the social environment.
Each participant can also enlarge their default field of view by zooming out far enough to see their own avatar and the surrounding environment. By zooming out this way, the participant can gain a bird's-eye view of the virtual social venue, and identify (and migrate to) areas that appear to be more lively and active than others.
To enhance the social experience, audio content streamed into the virtual social venue is mixed with ambient audio expressions (such as shouting, booing, clapping, or real voice expressions) from the participants. The audio content streamed into the virtual world may also be mixed with attenuated sounds from other media content being instantiated on nearby viewing surfaces. The audio is also preferably streamed to each participant in a 3-D, surround-sound format, with ambient sounds from surrounding sources being attenuated and delayed as a function of the distance between the user's avatar and the source of the sound. In one embodiment, zooming into a full-screen version of the video screen 121 has the concomitant effect of attenuating ambient sounds (until the ambient sounds are turned off) and making the media content relatively louder. Zooming out has the opposite effect, increasing the relative loudness of the ambient sounds. In other embodiments, the ambient sounds one hears are limited to certain channels or groups of friends.
Many different forms of media content may be instantiated into the virtual social venue 100. In one embodiment, a fully-interactive web page is instantiated on a viewing surface within the virtual social venue. Interactivity with the webpage, however, is preferably limited to a host who instantiates the web page or to a virtual disc jockey who is given control over the media content. In other embodiments, described below, a video stream or widget is instantiated onto the viewing surface.
FIG. 6 illustrates a screen shot 600 of a web browser that is viewing media content on a computer display. The screen shot 600 includes video content 602 being displayed from the YouTube™ web site. A browser plugin icon 604 is provided on the toolbar of the browser. After video content is selected within the browser, a user can click on the browser plugin icon 604. The plugin 604 causes whatever video is being presented within the browser, to also be instantiated and played within the venue.
Referring to FIG. 7, a screen shot 700 is provided depicting a multi-sided jumbotron monitor 704 on which the video content 602 is instantiated. Once the video content 602 is instantiated into the virtual social venue 100, the media that is being played is not just viewed by the user that caused the instantiation. Rather, every participant that is within the virtual social venue 100, whether from the user's social network, or otherwise within the venue, has the instantiated video content 602 presented to them within the context of the venue, provided that the viewing screen is within that participant's field of view. Thus, the experience of observing the video content 602 is enjoyed by all members of the venue.
In addition, the selection of the monitor 704 onto which to instantiate a given media stream is customizable. That is, the video content 602 could have been displayed on the monitor 706, or even one of the remote monitors 708. The choice of location for displaying externally instantiated video content 602 is definable by either the user who selected the content, or by individual users within the virtual social venue 100.
Additionally, each user within the venue 100 may select one or more viewing spaces for the instantiated video content. For example, a first user may wish to view the video content 602 on the jumbotron 704. A second user may wish to view the content on the monitor 708. Mechanisms are provided to allow users to move content between display areas, as well as to queue instantiated content for later viewing. Additionally, different users in a venue may be given different rolls: owner, administrator, moderator, spectators and guests. Each of these user types have different privileges and controls available to them for instantiating or moving content from external sources.
In another embodiment, the browser plugin icon 604 may be used by an owner, administrator or moderator, to queue up content for display in a later venue. Thus, a user can surf the web in his/her browser, and when they find desired content, can use the browser plugin 604 to add media content to a queue, for later play. When the venue experience begins, the content can then be placed into displays as desired.
FIG. 8 illustrates a screen shot 800 depicting another portion of the virtual social venue 100. The venue 100 includes a plurality of billboards 804. As described above, the billboards 804 are placeholders for content, whether still pictures, data, or video. In addition, the billboards 804 may feed content into the venue 802, either individually, where each billboard 804 contains different content, or collectively, where each billboard 804 contains the same content. Moreover, the content within each billboard 804 may be populated and managed by any one of the plurality of user types described above.
In one embodiment, the content within the billboards 804 may contain advertisements that are related to the content that is being viewed within the venue 802. For example, if the content that is being experienced by the social group within the venue 802 is a video game, billboards 804 may “advertise” similar video games, or pre-orders for games not yet released. If the video content being experienced within the venue 802 is a movie, billboards 804 may display trailers to movies that are similar to that being viewed, or movies by the same director, or having the same primary actors/actresses. The uses available for the billboards 804 are not restricted, and may relate directly or indirectly to the content being experienced within the venue 802.
FIG. 9 illustrates a screen shot 900 of an online merchant where merchandise 902 advertised in the billboard 804 is shown. In one embodiment, a user within the venue 802 that wants to purchase merchandise that is advertised on the billboard 804 simply clicks on the billboard 804. A browser is opened, either as an overlay within the venue 802, or on a screen outside the venue 802, that provides the user with an opportunity to purchase the merchandise 902. In the illustration shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the merchandise is a video game. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the merchandise could be any product that may be purchased, whether video games, movies, clothing, jewelry, electronics, etc. The types of products that may be linked to the billboard 804 are not limited. The billboards 804 may be selected for the purpose of linking the user to content outside of the venue 802, whether related or unrelated to the viewing experience within the venue 802, without interrupting or pausing the activities going on in the virtual social venue 100.
FIG. 10 illustrates a screen shot 1000 of a display 1002 viewable by users within the virtual social venue 100. In one embodiment, the display 1002 displays a plurality of video feed possibilities 1004, for instantiation into the video display 1002. As an example, video feeds from Hulu™, Machinima.com™ and YouTube™ are shown, although others are anticipated. Once a video feed 1004 is selected by a user (or moderator of a viewing experience), the web site associated with the video feed is presented within the display 1002.
FIG. 11 illustrates a screen shot 1100 of the display 1002 after the video feed 1004 for Hulu™ is selected. At this point, a user (or video moderator) can select a video feed. Once the video feed is selected, it begins playing on the display 1002 and is seen by the user that selected the video feed. More importantly, the content on the display 1002 is also viewable by everyone that is participating in the social venue. Thus, thousands or even millions of participants in the social venue experience the video feed that has been selected by the user. In one embodiment, the video feed is private to the user who selected the video feed. In another embodiment, the video feed is fed to everyone within the social venue. Alternatively, an administrator or moderator may select not only the video feed to be displayed, but also the group or subgroup of users within the social venue that can see the video feed.
In an additional embodiment, users that are selected, or otherwise able to view the video feed, can choose to move the video feed to any display, or the display of their choice, for experiencing the content. In this manner, a user can select one or more video feeds for populating displays within the social venue for the enjoyment of all or subgroups of users.
FIG. 12 illustrates a screen shot 1200 of a widget 1202 that has been created in a browser. In computer programming, a widget is a mini application, typically created using HTML. Like web pages, widgets are capable of many different things, often performing tasks that would be tedious or complicated for the user to access manually. Widgets can be as simple as a mini program that displays the time of day, or monitors stock quotes for selected companies, but may be more sophisticated, such as a mini program that monitors a user's real time score for players in a fantasy sporting league. In the present embodiment, any widget that can be designed for use within an internet browser, can be instantiated into one or more displays within the 3D social venue environment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 illustrates a screen shot 1300 of a portion 1302 of the virtual social venue 100. Within the portion 1302 is a display 1304 onto which the widget 1202 has been instantiated. In one embodiment, the user (or venue moderator) can select one or more of the displays within the venue for display of any widget they desire. In addition, the user can selectively instantiate one or more widgets onto displays that are viewable only by the user, and/or can instantiate one or more widgets onto displays that are viewable by subgroups, groups, or anyone within the current social venue. For example, a widget might be designed to track betting odds for two sports teams, during a game. The betting widget could then be instantiated into a social venue that is playing the game, so that it continuously updates the odds for the users who desire to see it. Of course, the present invention is not be limited to any particular type of widget, or the number of users within the social venue that can view its contents.
FIG. 14 illustrates a screen shot 1400 depicting a portion of the virtual social venue 100. A display is shown onto which a widget 1402 has been instantiated (as described above with respect to FIG. 13). In addition, a laser pointer 1404 is shown, pointed at an area within the widget 1402. In one embodiment, the laser is a user selectable tool provided within a platform providing the virtual social venue, to allow a user to identify an area within the venue to one or more users. More specifically, a user can obtain a selection tool, such as a laser (or flashlight, or crosshairs, or any of a plurality of identifiers), and can then select a portion of the social venue for identifying to other users a location that they are to examine. For example, if a group of users are looking for the avatar of a friend that is among the users within the social venue, and one of the users knows where the avatar is sitting, s/he can point to them using a selection tool, and all of the users in the group can see where the user is pointing.
In another embodiment, a social venue may be set up for viewing a painting, or photograph, or other piece of art to be examined by a group of users. The instructor may zoom in to the painting, to a very granular, or pixel level, and can use a selection tool to direct the users to pay attention to a particular area that is being displayed. Of course, many uses of pointing devices are envisioned. What is relevant is that a user can choose a selection tool and then use that tool for display to one or more users within the social venue.
FIG. 15 illustrates a screen shot 1500 depicting a portion 1502 of the virtual social venue 100. Streams 1504 have been overlaid onto the social venue between users that are sending or receiving digital communications in the venue. For example, just as users in a physical venue may send or receive digital communication (texts, chats, emails, voice communications, etc.), users within the social venue may have similar forms of communication. In one embodiment, users can chat directly with one or more other users, either within the social venue, or to other users that are within their social network, but not a part of the current social venue viewing experience.
To allow users within the social venue to obtain a visual perspective of such communication, the present invention—preferably using the application programming interfaces of any linked extrinsic social networks—tracks the communications made by all users within the social venue, and provides visual overlays of the communications. For example, if two users within the social venue are chatting with each other, streams of blue light will flow between the two users, depending on where they are sitting in the social venue, representing texts that are sent or received between the users. In addition, if a user receives a communication from someone in their social network that is outside the social venue, a red stream will drop down from outside the venue onto the user for which the communication is intended.
In one embodiment, the digital communication is delayed briefly, so that the recipient does not actually receive the communication until after the stream representing the communication, arrives. By observing streams of communications within the social venue, a user can readily see which users are actively communicating, either by receiving messages or sending them. Applicants envision any form of communication that can be monitored by the platform providing the virtual social venue 100 may be visually represented within the social venue in a graphical way.
FIG. 16 illustrates a screen shot 1600 depicting another portion 1602 of the virtual social venue 100. Within the portion 1602, graphical representations 1604 are overlaid onto avatars. In one embodiment, the avatars within the portion 1602 represent users that are participating within the virtual social venue 100. The social media platform (described below) imports a graphical representation for each user, from his or her social network (e.g., Facebook™), and overlays the graphical representation onto the users associated avatar. In this manner, a user's virtual avatar is made personal to the user. That is, the avatars are not simply objects which represent each user, but rather are made personal to each user by overlaying onto avatar, a users own photograph, or other graphical representation. In this manner, users within the social venue may be recognized, both by friends in their social network, as well as by others within the social venue.
In a typical embodiment, when a user joins the social venue, their graphical representation is imported from their social network, and overlaid onto an avatar that represents the user. It will be appreciated that a user's choice of graphical representation may be a picture of the user, a video, or any arbitrary image that they would like to use to represent themselves within their social network. For instance, a user may choose to instantiate a thumbnail sketch or icon of a website, video feed, or other virtual social venue on their avatar.
The face of the avatar is just one of many surfaces that may be overlaid with extrinsically-sourced content. Users may also purchase apparel or body art to overlay other avatar surfaces. Also, the avatars themselves may be customized. A cola vendor could purchase 1000 seats in a football venue and choose cola cans or bottles or even animated cola commercials as their avatars. The cola avatars would emote and be influenced by the crowd.
FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a server network embodiment of a social media platform 1700 for instantiating two-dimensional media content in a virtual social venue. The social media platform 1700 comprises a plurality of high speed port servers 1710, message queuing servers 1720, a database cluster 1730, logic servers 1740, security access servers 1750, proxy servers 1760, and web servers 1770. The social media platform 1700 further comprises local logic servers 1745 running through a web client 1780 and on a variety of client devices, including desktop clients 1702, tablets 1704, smartphones 1706, laptops and notebooks 1708, and any other processing device capable of accessing a network.
When a client logs into the social media platform 1700, the client communicates through port server 1710 to message queuing server 1720. The message queuing server 1720 talks to the security access/server 1750 to authenticate the login. Venue management is handled by remote logic servers 1740, through message queuing servers 1720, and local logic servers 1745 installed on each client device. Extrinsic two-dimensional media content (such as video streams) are fed directly from the third party's URL (e.g., Youtube) to clients. The remote logic server 1740 directs clients in the virtual social venue to the URL. The clients, with their local logic servers 1745, manage the extrinsic two-dimensional media content themselves, including transforming the media to fit the structural environment provided by the virtual social venue.
The client 1702, 1704, 1706, 1708 include a video display for presenting the instantiated media, within the context of the virtual social venue, to the user. The media may include video (movies, television, web cams, games), audio, still images, web browser content (web sites, web applications, widgets, computer data or applications), or any other content that may be accessed for display. User control of the client devices 1702, 1704, 1706, 1708 is achieved using input devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, or any other type of device.
FIG. 18 is a block diagram that illustrates one embodiment of a social media platform 1800 that provides a virtual social venue 1810 including a virtual three dimensional space 1820 for sharing two-dimensional media content. The three dimensional space 1820 is typically a virtual three-dimensional representation of a large physical structure—such as a theater, stadium, coliseum, arena, stage, or conference center. The virtual representation provides one or more common seating or standing areas for an audience of virtual representations of people (e.g., avatars 1850, 1851, etc.) to sit or stand in proximity to one another. A three-dimensional graphics engine (not shown)—preferably one suitable for generating graphics for a massively multiplayer online game—is provided to generate the three-dimensional environment.
The shared two-dimensional media content is presented on one or more viewing surfaces 1830 within the virtual three-dimensional space 1820. FIG. 18 illustrates a virtual theater screen in a moderately-sized theater. FIGS. 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, and 13, by comparison, illustrate a plurality of virtual billboards and jumbotron screens in a large stadium. The shared two-dimensional media content may comprise a web page 1870, a video stream 1872, a widget 1874, or other externally sourced two-dimensional media content 1876.
When the shared two-dimensional media content comprises something that is interactive, such as a webpage with links and text fields, the social media platform 1800 enables a host user—or a user designated as a virtual disc jockey—to interact with the shared media content. Those interactions are displayed on the viewing surface 1830, along with the shared media content, to both the host user or virtual disc jockey and the other users admitted to the virtual social venue 1810. When the shared two-dimensional media content consists of web page, the social media platform 1800 is, in effect, instantiating a skinless web browser onto the viewing surface 1830 and scaling it, rotating it, skewing it, and otherwise three-dimensionally transforming it in a manner consistent with each admitted user's unique position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space 1820.
The virtual social venue 1810 is populated with users invited and admitted from one or more extrinsic social networks 1860. Users admitted to the social venue 1810 are either assigned a unique or exclusive position (e.g., a seat 1840, 1841, etc., or a standing location as shown in FIG. 2) within the social venue 1810, or they are permitted to navigate and migrate through the social venue 1810 and select an unoccupied position from which to share the media experience. In either case, each user is provided with a unique position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space to experience the shared two-dimensional media content.
Each position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space has a different field of view 1835. Accordingly, the social media platform 1800 displays the shared two-dimensional media content to each user with a yaw and pitch consistent with the differences between the position and orientation provided to the user and the position and orientation of the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface. To display the shared two-dimensional media content within this three-dimensional context, the social media platform 1800 three-dimensionally transforms the shared two-dimensional media content—often consisting of streaming video—in real time to each user in a manner consistent with each user's unique relative position and orientation.
FIG. 18 also illustrates the importation and mapping of other extrinsic content into the virtual social venue 1810. In one embodiment, profile pictures 1862 are imported from the one or more social networks 1860 and mapped onto the avatars 1850, 1851, etc., of admitted users. In another embodiment, streaming facial images 1855 are imported from users' web cams and mapped onto the corresponding avatars 1850, 1851, etc. As noted in the embodiment associated with FIG. 15, text communications 1861 may also be detected and/or imported from the one or more social networks 1860 and represented within the virtual three-dimensional space.
In another embodiment, voice communications 1856 (or other audio expressions of participating users) are imported from users' microphones or web cams and reproduced in the virtual three-dimensional space 1820 for other participants to hear. Preferably, the reproduction of sounds is done after filtering the audio expressions to cancel noises sourced from the virtual social venue, including the shared media content. Also, the audio expressions of surrounding participating users are reproduced for each user in a surround-sound scheme correlated and consistent with the relative spatial arrangement of the participating user with surrounding participating users. When a user's avatar turns around within the virtual social venue, the surround-sound is rotated to that user in a manner correlated and consistent with the relative rotation of the participating user's avatar within the virtual social venue. Also, consistent with the three-dimensional environment, the audio expressions received by any given recipient is attenuated and delayed as a function of the virtual distance between the recipient's avatar and the producer's avatar.
In yet another embodiment, detected motion gestures 1857—such as clapping and arm-waving—are imported from participating users' motion detecting apparatuses (e.g., Microsoft's Kinect™ device or another third party gross motion, gesture, and/or emotion detecting device) and imitated through animations of their avatars. In this embodiment, each user who enters the virtual social venue 1810 is provided with a three-dimensional animated avatar that can render any of a plurality of emotional expressions with corresponding virtual physical gestures (e.g., jumping, arm-waving, cheering, booing, clapping).
FIG. 19 illustrates one embodiment of a virtual social venue 1910 with toolbars for inviting friends, identifying admitted friends, identifying the virtual “disc jockey” of a social media event, and expressing emotional responses. Typically, a virtual social venue 1910 will be populated with users who are friends, or friends of friends, etc., of a host user. To participate in the virtual social venue 1910, each user—including the host user—authorizes the social media platform 1800 to access information associated with the user's social network account, including the identities of friends. The social media platform 1800 uses this information to populate a friend toolbar 1965 with thumbnails 1962 of profile pictures of friends retrieved from a host user's one or more social networks. The thumbnails 1962 are arranged by alphabetical order of the corresponding friend's names. When a host user hovers their selection tool (e.g., mouse pointer) over a thumbnail 1962, the virtual social venue 1910 displays the corresponding friend's name. A host user can invite friends to join the virtual social venue by selecting the thumbnails 1962. Toolbar scroll arrows 1967 enable the host user to scroll through the thumbnail images 1962.
The social media platform 1800 also populates a guest toolbar 1970 with thumbnails 1972 of the profile pictures of users who accept the invitation and are admitted into the virtual social venue 1910. The social media platform 1800 also populates a larger box 1975 with the thumbnail image of the host user or virtual disc jockey—that is, the user who is controlling which media content to display and share on the viewing surface 1830. The social media platform 1800 also provides an “emot” toolbar 1980 comprising selectable text or icons with which users can indicate an emotional response (such as booing, clapping, or laughing) to the shared media content.
FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating feature customization for an avatar 2010 with multiple customizable features. As illustrated in function block 2020, users are provided with the ability to select an avatar 2010 and customize various avatar features, such as height, size, hair style, etc. Users may purchase fashionable virtual clothing from an avatar apparel store 2030 with which to clothe their avatar 2010. As illustrated in function block 2040, users may navigate their avatars 2010 to a selected position and orientation within a virtual social venue, and the avatar will animate in a manner (e.g., walking or turning) consistent with those navigation movements. As illustrated in function block 2050, users may also make their avatars 2010 gesture and express emotional responses. As illustrated in function block 2060, the user's social network profile picture may be mapped onto the avatar's face. And as illustrated in function block 2070, the user's voice and text communications may be represented by the avatar's facial and lip movements or by other representations (such as streams of light or text bubbles) in proximity to the avatar 2010.
FIG. 21 depicts one embodiment of a process 2100 of integrating social media into a social media platform. Process 2100 begins with granting access to a social venue within the social media platform to a participant through an entry point (operation 2101). In one embodiment, the entry point is a website dedicated to operating and managing the social media platform. This website can be generated by a social media module. Alternatively, the entry point can be a widget, banner, or other link within, or external to, one or more originating platforms online social media network with which the participant is associated. The participants may be associated with multiple social media networks. The entry point can be generated by a viral feature of the online social network. For example, an invitation from the participant to a contact to join in the social media platform can cause a link to be placed in the contact's inbox. Once the contact clicks on this link, he or she is granted access to the social venue within the social media platform. Other viral features may be used as an entry point to the social media platform such as newsfeeds and minifeeds generated within the originating social media platforms.
Once a participant is granted access to the social media platform, the participant's social graph having contacts information of the participant is automatically ported into the platform so that the viral features of the originating online social media network can be integrated with the social media platform (operation 2103). At operation 2105, the participant is prompted to invite one or more contacts from the participant's social graph to join in the combined social media platform. If any contacts accept the invitation, they become additional participants (operation 2106) and the process repeats. Social media events associated with the participants who joined in the MMOG can also be streamed into the social venue from their respective originating online social networks (operation 2107). These social media event streams may be displayed in real-time while the participants are interacting with the combined social media platform (operation 2109). In addition, the type and quantity of social media event streams received by an individual participant are user-configurable. The social media event streams may also be turned off at any time by each participant. Additionally, the social media events may be displayed on any display area within the combined social media platform. For example, the social media events may be displayed on a display screen or monitor, wall, billboard, blimp, rocket, airplane, or fireworks display within the combined social media platform, to name a few. This completes process 2100.
FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an environment 2200 for a social media platform. More specifically, a social media platform 2206 is coupled to a network 2212. User devices 2210 are also coupled to the network 2212, and access social venues 2204 via the network 2212. When a user device logs into a social venue 2204, the social media platform 2206 imports metadata associated with the user of the user device 2210 from their profile in their social network 2202. This allows the graphical representation described above with respect to FIG. 16 to be displayed on the user's associated avatar.
As a user experiences content within their social venue 2204, they can choose to react to the content in many ways. They can clap, cheer, stand up, yell, boo, rate the video, etc. The social media platform 2206 records emotive activity of users over time during presentation of content played within a social venue and stores their emotive activity in an emot database 2208. The emotive activity correlates in time with the video content that is presented within the social venue. Since the emotive activity is recorded in sync with the content that is experienced, it is possible to reconstruct emotive activity of a user.
With this in mind, ghost avatars may exist within social venues 2204. More specifically, if content has been presented in a social venue 2204, and users have had emotive activity during presentation of the content, then the emotive activity is stored in the emot database 2208. If at a later time, the content is presented to other users, then ghost avatars from the previous viewing can appear within the social venue 2204, and their emotive activity can be presented alongside activity expressed by live users. Thus, the experience of viewing content can be cumulatively enhanced as more and more users view the content and their emotive activity is recorded. For example, a user might be viewing content with only a few other live users. However, the social venue 2204 may have been previously viewed by thousands of others. In one embodiment, the cumulative emotive activity of all users that have viewed the content may be replayed along with the content, thus enhancing the overall viewing experience of the live users.
FIG. 23 is another functional block diagram of an embodiment of a social media platform 2300 for implementing a virtual social venue. The social media platform 2300 includes a three-dimensional graphics engine 2310 that generates the three-dimensional environment for the virtual social venue. The social media platform 2300 also includes a virtual representation of three-dimensional space—that is, a spatial architecture 2330 for the virtual social venue. The social media platform 2300 also provides customizable avatar form and appearance templates 2340, enabling users to adopt an avatar with a form and appearance to their liking.
The social media platform 2300 leverages the social relational data and communications facilities of extrinsic social networks to populate the virtual social venue and—in effect—to bring it to life. The social media platform 2300 includes one or more data interfaces 2322 to extrinsic social networks that use application programming interfaces associated with those social networks to authenticate users and pass and retrieve information (such as text communications and friend lists) to and from those social networks. Communications between admitted users, such as user texts or chats 2325, is preferably handled by the one or more extrinsic social networks and then represented in the virtual social venue in some form (such as text bubbles or streams of light).
The social media platform 2300 populates the virtual social venue with users invited and admitted from one or more social networks 2320. The social media platform 2300 includes a user list 2328 to track all of the users admitted to the social venue. The social media platform 2300 also continually tracks user spatial data 2342, such as the position and orientation of each user's avatar, as various users navigate and migrate about the venue social venue.
The social media platform 2300 also leverages media content sourced from extrinsic media providers. The social media platform 2300 includes a browser plug-in interface 2360 enabling an interactive browser web page 2350 to be instantiated (with its interactive features maintained) onto a viewing surface within the three-dimensional environment provided by the virtual social venue. The social media platform 2300 also includes a streaming media interface 2362 enabling streaming media content 2352 from a third party streaming media provider to be instantiated within the three-dimensional environment. The social media platform 2300 also includes a widget interface 2364 enabling a widget 2354 to execute within the three-dimensional environment.
The social media platform 2300 also includes a client user interface 2344 for presenting the virtual social venue to a client and receiving and responding to user navigation and control 2346. User navigation and controls 2346 include commands related to the navigation of a user's avatar, selection of friends to invite to the virtual social venue, and emotional responses to the third party media content.
FIG. 24 is a block diagram 2400 of user-related data maintained by one embodiment of the social media platform 2300. The social media platform 2300 includes a user list 2410 identifying each user admitted to or participating in a virtual social venue. The social media platform 2300 also includes, for each user, a basic user information record 2420 including fields for the user's unique id, profile name, and Boolean flags indicating whether the user is active and/or logged in. The social media platform 2300 also maintains a record 2430 identifying information related to the location and spatial position of each user's avatar. This includes an avatar ID, a venue ID, seat ID, authorization ID, X, Y, and Z position, as well as the yaw, pitch, roll, and relative zoom extent of the user's field of view.
FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram 2500 of one embodiment of a method for instantiating two-dimensional media content in a three-dimensional platform. Functional block 2510 provides a user interface comprising a navigable three-dimensional space. Functional block 2520 provides one or more virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces within the virtual three-dimensional space. Functional block 2530 instantiates externally-sourced two-dimensional content onto the virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces. The two-dimensional content may comprise a fully-interactive web page 2532, a video stream 2534, a widget 2536, or some other content.
Functional block 2540 provides the user with a representation, position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space. The representation of the user is typically in the form of an avatar. The avatar's position (e.g., a seat or standing location) may be automatically determined, selected and assigned by the host, or the user may be given the ability and privilege to navigate his/her avatar to a user-selected position within the virtual three-dimensional space. The user is also provided with the ability to rotate the avatar or the avatar's head to a selected orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space. The user is provided with a field of view consistent with the selected position and orientation of the user's avatar (or other representation) within the virtual three-dimensional space.
Function block 2550 drives the externally-sourced two-dimensional content directly from the third party provider to each user. The two-dimensional content is spatially transformed (preferably using rendering software installed on each user's machine) to fit the context of the virtual three-dimensional space. This includes transforming the two-dimensional content to a yaw and pitch consistent with the relative orientations and positions of each user and viewing surface. If any portion of the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface is within a user's field of view, that portion of the instantiated two-dimensional media content will be displayed to that user.
Function block 2560 maintains any ability to interact with the instantiated content within the three-dimensional environment. For example, if a web page with text fields and links is instantiated on the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface, then the user is able to interact with the instantiated web page from within the virtual three-dimensional space. This includes enabling the user to type into the text field and to select any link on the web page from within the virtual three-dimensional space.
FIG. 26 is a functional block diagram 2600 of one embodiment of a method for sharing two-dimensional media content with users from a social network in a three-dimensional platform. Functional block 2610 provides a virtual social venue comprising a navigable three-dimensional space. The three-dimensional space typically includes a large physical structure that provides one or more seating or standing areas for an audience of virtual representations of people (e.g., avatars) to sit or stand in proximity to one another.
Functional block 2620 provides the ability to invite users from the social network to participate in the virtual social venue. This ability may be limited to a single host user or extended to multiple hosts or even to all users, until the social venue reaches its admittance capacity. Functional block 2630 provides three-dimensional animated avatars to admitted users and populates the seating or standing area with the avatars.
Functional block 2630 provides one or more screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces in the three-dimensional space on which to instantiate the extrinsically-sourced two-dimensional media. Functional block 2650 bequeaths a user with disc-jockey privileges over typically just one of the screens, billboards, windows, or viewing surfaces. A user with disc-jockey privileges controls and selects the extrinsically-sourced two-dimensional media content to share with the audience on the viewing surface the disc jockey controls. The disc jockey can also interact with the instantiated media content from within the virtual three-dimensional space. Typically, other viewing surfaces will be occupied by advertisements related either to the content to be shown or to one or more users' consumer interests.
Functional block 2660 spatially transforms the extrinsically-sourced media to fit the perspective of each user's avatar. As noted before, each avatar has a unique position and corresponding field of view from within the virtual social venue. Functional block 2470 displays the extrinsically-sourced media while simultaneously displaying the avatars of neighboring participating users to each of the participating users. In other words, the virtual social venue and any instantiated media content is displayed to each avatar from that avatar's unique perspective and field of view. This includes transforming the instantiated media content to a yaw and pitch consistent with the relative orientations and positions of each user's avatar to the viewing surface.
Functional block 2680 enables users to navigate about the three-dimensional space, and to zoom the viewing surface into full view, while adjusting the spatial display and three-dimensional transformations accordingly. Simply by turning the scroll wheel of a mouse, a user can zoom in from the default perspective that his/her avatar would have in the virtual social venue to a view in which the instantiated media content is full-screen and orthogonal (no longer three-dimensionally transformed). By turning the scroll wheel of the mouse in the opposite direction, the user can zoom back out, all the way from a full-screen view back to the default perspective. In a preferred embodiment, the user can continue to zoom out from the default position, giving the user a view of not only the objects in front of the user's avatar, but also the user's avatar itself and the surrounding context. These tools enhance the user's control over and potential appreciation of the social experience in sharing the instantiated media content.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various embodiments are implemented on computer hardware, software, firmware, and combinations thereof. The teachings of this description can be adapted to a variety of computer architectures. The various functions of the illustrated embodiments are implemented through programs of instructions stored in memory and configured to execute on various computer processors.
Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the foregoing disclosure and associated drawings are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein, but is limited only by the following claims.

Claims (21)

We claim:
1. A method for interacting in a three-dimensional platform, the method comprising:
providing a user with an interface comprising a virtual three-dimensional space;
connecting to one or more social networks to which the user belongs, each social network providing a social graph with a list of friends of the user;
leveraging the social graph to enable the user to invite friends from the one or more social networks to interact in the three-dimensional space;
providing avatars to the user and friends of the user who enter the virtual social venue;
further leveraging the social graph to import a user profile picture from the one or more social networks to which the user belongs;
superimposing at least a portion of the user profile picture onto the user's avatar; and
displaying the avatars with the superimposed profile picture within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying streaming media content to the user and the user's friends in the context of the virtual three-dimensional space in which the avatars are also displayed.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying the avatars within a common seating or standing area of the virtual three-dimensional space.
4. The method of claim 3, further characterized in that the virtual three-dimensional space is a virtual three-dimensional representation of a coliseum, stadium, or arena.
5. The method of claim 3, further characterized in that the virtual three-dimensional space is a virtual three-dimensional representation of a movie theater.
6. The method of claim 3, further characterized in that the virtual three-dimensional space is a virtual three-dimensional representation of a stage.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user with an avatar comprises providing the user with a three dimensional avatar to represent the user in the virtual three-dimensional space that is operable to navigate through the virtual three-dimensional space.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
detecting the user's arm movements; and
animating the user's avatar with arm movements that mimic the user's arm movements.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
importing microphone-captured audio expressions from the user; and
reproducing the user's audio expressions within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space in a surround-sound scheme correlated and consistent with the relative spatial arrangement of the participating user with surrounding participating users;
wherein when a user's avatar turns around within the virtual social venue, the surround-sound is rotated to that user in a manner correlated and consistent with the relative rotation of the participating user's avatar within the virtual social venue.
10. A method for interacting in a three-dimensional platform, the method comprising:
providing a user within the view field of a camera with an interface comprising a virtual three-dimensional space;
connecting to one or more social networks to which the user belongs, each social network providing a social graph with a list of friends of the user;
leveraging the social graph to enable the user to invite friends from the one or more social networks to interact in the three-dimensional space;
providing avatars to the user and friends of the user who enter the virtual social venue;
importing streaming images of the user from the camera;
superimposing at least a portion of the streaming images onto the avatar of the user;
providing a virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface within the virtual three-dimensional space; and
displaying the avatar with the user's superimposed streaming images within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying streaming media content to the user and the user's friends in the context of the virtual three-dimensional space in which the avatars are also displayed.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying the avatars within a common seating or standing area of the virtual three-dimensional space.
13. The method of claim 12, further characterized in that the virtual three-dimensional space is a virtual three-dimensional representation of a movie theater.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the user with an avatar comprises providing the user with a three dimensional avatar to represent the user in the virtual three-dimensional space that is operable to navigate through the virtual three-dimensional space.
15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
detecting the user's arm movements; and
animating the user's avatar with arm movements that mimic the user's arm movements.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
importing microphone-captured audio expressions from the user; and
reproducing the user's audio expressions within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space in a surround-sound scheme correlated and consistent with the relative spatial arrangement of the participating user with surrounding participating users;
wherein when a user's avatar turns around within the virtual social venue, the surround-sound is rotated to that user in a manner correlated and consistent with the relative rotation of the participating user's avatar within the virtual social venue.
17. A social media platform comprising:
a three-dimensional graphics engine providing a virtual social venue comprising a virtual three-dimensional space;
a user interface to the virtual social venue providing three-dimensional avatars to users to represent the users within the three-dimensional space; and
a data interface between the virtual social venue and a social network that enables invitation of contacts from the social network to participate in the virtual social venue;
wherein the data interface is operable to import user profile pictures from the social network;
wherein the three-dimensional graphics engine is operable to superimpose at least a portion of the profile picture onto the user's avatar and display the avatar with the superimposed profile picture within the virtual social venue.
18. The social media platform of claim 17, wherein the three-dimensional graphics engine:
enables admitted users to navigate to user-selected positions and orientations within the virtual three-dimensional space; and
updates the display of the virtual three-dimensional space to each admitted user to provide the user with a field of view consistent with the user's selected position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space.
19. A social media platform comprising:
a three-dimensional graphics engine providing a virtual social venue comprising a virtual three-dimensional space;
a user interface to the virtual social venue providing three-dimensional avatars to users to represent the users within the three-dimensional space;
a data interface between the virtual social venue and a social network that enables invitation of contacts from the social network to participate in the virtual social venue; and
a camera operable to capture streaming images of the user;
wherein the three-dimensional graphics engine is operable to superimpose at least a portion of the streaming images of the user onto the user's avatar and display the avatar with the superimposed streaming images within the virtual social venue.
20. The social media platform of claim 19, wherein the three-dimensional graphics engine:
enables admitted users to navigate to user-selected positions and orientations within the virtual three-dimensional space; and
updates the display of the virtual three-dimensional space to each admitted user to provide the user with a field of view consistent with the user's selected position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space.
21. The social media platform of claim 20, further comprising:
a microphone to capture audio expressions from the user;
wherein the social media platform is also operable to reproduce the user's audio expressions within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space in a surround-sound scheme correlated and consistent with the relative spatial arrangement of the participating user with surrounding participating users;
wherein when a user's avatar turns around within the virtual social venue, the surround-sound is rotated to that user in a manner correlated and consistent with the relative rotation of the participating user's avatar within the virtual social venue.
US14/045,479 2010-03-10 2013-10-03 Personalized 3D avatars in a virtual social venue Active 2031-12-12 US9292163B2 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14/045,479 US9292163B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-03 Personalized 3D avatars in a virtual social venue

Applications Claiming Priority (10)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US31254210P 2010-03-10 2010-03-10
US41535010P 2010-11-19 2010-11-19
US41534410P 2010-11-19 2010-11-19
US41535310P 2010-11-19 2010-11-19
US41534510P 2010-11-19 2010-11-19
US41534910P 2010-11-19 2010-11-19
US41534810P 2010-11-19 2010-11-19
US41535110P 2010-11-19 2010-11-19
US12/969,487 US8572177B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2010-12-15 3D social platform for sharing videos and webpages
US14/045,479 US9292163B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-03 Personalized 3D avatars in a virtual social venue

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/969,487 Continuation US8572177B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2010-12-15 3D social platform for sharing videos and webpages

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20140033044A1 US20140033044A1 (en) 2014-01-30
US9292163B2 true US9292163B2 (en) 2016-03-22

Family

ID=44559520

Family Applications (4)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/969,487 Active 2031-11-30 US8572177B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2010-12-15 3D social platform for sharing videos and webpages
US14/045,522 Active 2031-12-12 US9292164B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-03 Virtual social supervenue for sharing multiple video streams
US14/045,479 Active 2031-12-12 US9292163B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-03 Personalized 3D avatars in a virtual social venue
US14/045,556 Abandoned US20140033078A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-03 Instantiating media into a virtual social venue to share with friends

Family Applications Before (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/969,487 Active 2031-11-30 US8572177B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2010-12-15 3D social platform for sharing videos and webpages
US14/045,522 Active 2031-12-12 US9292164B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-03 Virtual social supervenue for sharing multiple video streams

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US14/045,556 Abandoned US20140033078A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-03 Instantiating media into a virtual social venue to share with friends

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (4) US8572177B2 (en)

Families Citing this family (95)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6792575B1 (en) * 1999-10-21 2004-09-14 Equilibrium Technologies Automated processing and delivery of media to web servers
US20100145794A1 (en) * 1999-10-21 2010-06-10 Sean Barnes Barger Media Processing Engine and Ad-Per-View
US20130198788A1 (en) * 1999-10-21 2013-08-01 Automated Media Processing Solutions, Inc, Dba Equilibrium, Amps, Inc. Social video network
US9053196B2 (en) 2008-05-09 2015-06-09 Commerce Studios Llc, Inc. Methods for interacting with and manipulating information and systems thereof
US9319357B2 (en) 2009-01-15 2016-04-19 Social Communications Company Context based virtual area creation
US10356136B2 (en) 2012-10-19 2019-07-16 Sococo, Inc. Bridging physical and virtual spaces
US8572177B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-29 Xmobb, Inc. 3D social platform for sharing videos and webpages
US9189143B2 (en) * 2010-04-30 2015-11-17 American Teleconferencing Services, Ltd. Sharing social networking content in a conference user interface
US8949717B2 (en) * 2010-10-18 2015-02-03 Yehonatan Rafael Maor Method of controlling avatars
US8767033B2 (en) * 2011-03-09 2014-07-01 Sony Corporation System and method for providing viewing room services for network based content
US9576270B1 (en) * 2011-05-06 2017-02-21 Extreme Networks, Inc. System and related method for management of devices of a network system via social media interfaces
JP2012238218A (en) * 2011-05-12 2012-12-06 Sony Corp Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program
US20120310956A1 (en) * 2011-06-03 2012-12-06 Huhn Derrick S System and method for processing graphs of user relationships in an online service
US20140006152A1 (en) * 2011-12-09 2014-01-02 Alexander D. Wissner-Gross Providing a Proximity Triggered Response in a Video Display
US9563902B2 (en) 2012-04-11 2017-02-07 Myriata, Inc. System and method for transporting a virtual avatar within multiple virtual environments
US9310955B2 (en) 2012-04-11 2016-04-12 Myriata, Inc. System and method for generating a virtual tour within a virtual environment
US20130271457A1 (en) * 2012-04-11 2013-10-17 Myriata, Inc. System and method for displaying an object within a virtual environment
US9047690B2 (en) 2012-04-11 2015-06-02 Myriata, Inc. System and method for facilitating creation of a rich virtual environment
EP2850610B1 (en) * 2012-05-18 2020-11-04 BlackBerry Limited Systems and methods to manage zooming
US20130346875A1 (en) * 2012-06-20 2013-12-26 Microsoft Corporation Personalized Interactive Entertainment Profile
US8966356B1 (en) * 2012-07-19 2015-02-24 Google Inc. Providing views of three-dimensional (3D) object data models
CN102831309A (en) * 2012-08-17 2012-12-19 广州多益网络科技有限公司 Virtual cinema interaction system and method
US8900057B2 (en) 2012-09-18 2014-12-02 Tipping Point Group, Llc Seamless initiation of primary and secondary games at modified gaming machines
US10614667B2 (en) 2012-09-18 2020-04-07 Tipping Point Group, Llc Method of modifying a primary game of an existing legacy gaming machine to include secondary awards
US10002492B2 (en) * 2012-09-18 2018-06-19 Tipping Point Group, Llc Method of modifying a primary game of an existing legacy gaming machine to include secondary game features
US10607441B2 (en) 2012-09-18 2020-03-31 Tipping Point Group, Llc Method of modifying a primary game of an existing legacy gaming machine to include secondary game features
US9596206B2 (en) * 2012-10-09 2017-03-14 Facebook, Inc. In-line images in messages
KR20140089847A (en) * 2013-01-07 2014-07-16 삼성전자주식회사 electronic apparatus and control method thereof
KR102097845B1 (en) * 2013-01-10 2020-04-06 소니 주식회사 Image display device, image generating device, and transparent spatial light modulating device
JP2014178982A (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-25 Sony Corp Image display device and image display method, storage medium and image display system
EP2976749A4 (en) * 2013-03-20 2016-10-26 Intel Corp Avatar-based transfer protocols, icon generation and doll animation
US20140344350A1 (en) * 2013-05-15 2014-11-20 Adobe Systems Incorporated Image Session Invitation and Management Techniques
US20140347368A1 (en) * 2013-05-21 2014-11-27 Telenav, Inc. Navigation system with interface modification mechanism and method of operation thereof
US10795943B1 (en) 2013-08-08 2020-10-06 Teal Rainsky Rogers Three-dimensional network mapping system and method
US10372794B1 (en) 2013-08-08 2019-08-06 Teal Rainsky Rogers Three-dimensional network mapping system and method
JP5890359B2 (en) * 2013-08-29 2016-03-22 ヤフー株式会社 TERMINAL DEVICE, DISPLAY METHOD, PROGRAM, AND DISPLAY SYSTEM
US20150156228A1 (en) * 2013-11-18 2015-06-04 Ronald Langston Social networking interacting system
WO2015130971A1 (en) 2014-02-26 2015-09-03 Blazer And Flip Flops, Inc. Dba The Experience Engine, Inc. Increasing customer monetization
WO2015130969A1 (en) * 2014-02-26 2015-09-03 Blazer And Flip Flops, Inc. Dba The Experience Engine, Inc. Live branded dynamic mapping
US20170011348A1 (en) 2014-02-26 2017-01-12 Blazer and Flip Flops, Inc. dba The Experience Engine Venue notifications
CA2919019A1 (en) 2014-04-30 2015-11-05 Replay Technologies Inc. System for and method of generating user-selectable novel views on a viewing device
US11526916B2 (en) 2015-04-28 2022-12-13 Blazer and Flip Flops, Inc. Intelligent prediction of queue wait times
CN104461297A (en) * 2014-12-05 2015-03-25 上海斐讯数据通信技术有限公司 Mobile terminal with screen and screen image capturing method thereof
CN104504447A (en) * 2014-12-24 2015-04-08 天脉聚源(北京)科技有限公司 Method and device for distributing virtual seat images
US10062208B2 (en) * 2015-04-09 2018-08-28 Cinemoi North America, LLC Systems and methods to provide interactive virtual environments
WO2016172731A1 (en) 2015-04-23 2016-10-27 Blazer And Flip Flops, In. Dba The Experience Engine Targeted venue message distribution
US9906909B2 (en) 2015-05-01 2018-02-27 Blazer and Flip Flops, Inc. Map based beacon management
US9520002B1 (en) 2015-06-24 2016-12-13 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Virtual place-located anchor
CN105915972A (en) * 2015-11-16 2016-08-31 乐视致新电子科技(天津)有限公司 Virtual reality 4K video optimization method and device
EP3566455A4 (en) 2015-12-07 2020-07-22 Blazer and Flip Flops, Inc. DBA The Experience Engine Wearable device
US10304247B2 (en) 2015-12-09 2019-05-28 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Third party holographic portal
KR101942244B1 (en) 2016-02-26 2019-01-28 주식회사 엘지화학 An Ink Composition for 3D Printing Support and the Manufacturing Method using the Same
US10359988B2 (en) * 2016-04-06 2019-07-23 Tmrwland Hongkong Limited Shared experience of virtual environments
US20170373870A1 (en) * 2016-04-23 2017-12-28 Senad Hrustanovic Multimedia Communication System
US10652303B2 (en) * 2016-04-28 2020-05-12 Rabbit Asset Purchase Corp. Screencast orchestration
US10623525B2 (en) * 2016-06-23 2020-04-14 DISH Technologies L.L.C. Methods, systems, and apparatus for presenting participant information associated with a media stream
US10042604B2 (en) * 2016-07-01 2018-08-07 Metrik LLC Multi-dimensional reference element for mixed reality environments
US20180091629A1 (en) * 2016-09-29 2018-03-29 Emblematic Group, Inc. Virtual and augmented reality interface
US10529034B2 (en) * 2016-11-18 2020-01-07 Facebook, Inc. Systems and methods for determining page identifiers
US11579744B2 (en) * 2017-06-21 2023-02-14 Navitaire Llc Systems and methods for seat selection in virtual reality
US10732811B1 (en) * 2017-08-08 2020-08-04 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Virtual reality trading tool
US10621784B2 (en) * 2017-09-29 2020-04-14 Sony Interactive Entertainment America Llc Venue mapping for virtual reality spectating of live events
US10668382B2 (en) * 2017-09-29 2020-06-02 Sony Interactive Entertainment America Llc Augmenting virtual reality video games with friend avatars
US11323407B2 (en) 2017-10-26 2022-05-03 Halo Innovative Solutions Llc Methods, systems, apparatuses, and devices for facilitating managing digital content captured using multiple content capturing devices
US10693830B2 (en) * 2017-10-26 2020-06-23 Halo Innovative Solutions Llc Methods, systems, apparatuses and devices for facilitating live streaming of content on multiple social media platforms
US10572121B2 (en) * 2018-02-09 2020-02-25 International Business Machines Corporation Contextual user profile photo selection
CN108762842A (en) * 2018-05-28 2018-11-06 北京小米移动软件有限公司 Method for extracting content, device, terminal and storage medium
US11080736B2 (en) * 2018-11-13 2021-08-03 Playtika Ltd. Adaptive in-application physical product offers
US11090561B2 (en) 2019-02-15 2021-08-17 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Aligning location for a shared augmented reality experience
JP6581742B1 (en) * 2019-03-27 2019-09-25 株式会社ドワンゴ VR live broadcast distribution system, distribution server, distribution server control method, distribution server program, and VR raw photo data structure
US10963140B2 (en) * 2019-04-12 2021-03-30 John William Marr Augmented reality experience creation via tapping virtual surfaces in augmented reality
US11097194B2 (en) 2019-05-16 2021-08-24 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Shared augmented reality game within a shared coordinate space
US11023095B2 (en) 2019-07-12 2021-06-01 Cinemoi North America, LLC Providing a first person view in a virtual world using a lens
US11700353B2 (en) * 2020-04-06 2023-07-11 Eingot Llc Integration of remote audio into a performance venue
US11838686B2 (en) * 2020-07-19 2023-12-05 Daniel Schneider SpaeSee video chat system
WO2022026367A1 (en) * 2020-07-25 2022-02-03 Silver Spoon Animation Inc. System and method for populating a virtual crowd in real-time using augmented and virtual reality
US20220086197A1 (en) * 2020-09-14 2022-03-17 Damaka, Inc. System and method for establishing and managing multiple call sessions from a centralized control interface
US11907412B2 (en) * 2020-09-28 2024-02-20 International Business Machines Corporation Contextual spectator inclusion in a virtual reality experience
WO2022159038A1 (en) * 2021-01-25 2022-07-28 Buzz Arvr Pte. Ltd. A system and method for generating a 3d avatar
JP7038869B1 (en) 2021-01-27 2022-03-18 グリー株式会社 Computer programs, methods and server equipment
WO2022183119A1 (en) * 2021-02-26 2022-09-01 Kickback Space Inc. Real-time video dimensional transformations of video for presentation in mixed reality-based virtual spaces
US11210844B1 (en) 2021-04-13 2021-12-28 Dapper Labs Inc. System and method for creating, managing, and displaying 3D digital collectibles
US11099709B1 (en) * 2021-04-13 2021-08-24 Dapper Labs Inc. System and method for creating, managing, and displaying an interactive display for 3D digital collectibles
USD991271S1 (en) 2021-04-30 2023-07-04 Dapper Labs, Inc. Display screen with an animated graphical user interface
US11227010B1 (en) 2021-05-03 2022-01-18 Dapper Labs Inc. System and method for creating, managing, and displaying user owned collections of 3D digital collectibles
US11533467B2 (en) * 2021-05-04 2022-12-20 Dapper Labs, Inc. System and method for creating, managing, and displaying 3D digital collectibles with overlay display elements and surrounding structure display elements
US11170582B1 (en) 2021-05-04 2021-11-09 Dapper Labs Inc. System and method for creating, managing, and displaying limited edition, serialized 3D digital collectibles with visual indicators of rarity classifications
CN115407985A (en) * 2021-05-28 2022-11-29 阿里巴巴新加坡控股有限公司 Virtual multimedia scene editing method, electronic device and storage medium
US11694419B2 (en) 2021-09-06 2023-07-04 Kickback Space Inc. Image analysis and gaze redirection using characteristics of the eye
US11670060B1 (en) 2021-10-11 2023-06-06 Meta Platforms Technologies, Llc Auto-generating an artificial reality environment based on access to personal user content
US20230300292A1 (en) * 2022-03-15 2023-09-21 Meta Platforms, Inc. Providing shared augmented reality environments within video calls
US20240031531A1 (en) * 2022-07-20 2024-01-25 Katmai Tech Inc. Two-dimensional view of a presentation in a three-dimensional videoconferencing environment
WO2024020452A1 (en) * 2022-07-20 2024-01-25 Katmai Tech Inc. Multi-screen presentation in a virtual videoconferencing environment
US11928774B2 (en) * 2022-07-20 2024-03-12 Katmai Tech Inc. Multi-screen presentation in a virtual videoconferencing environment
US11935195B1 (en) * 2022-12-13 2024-03-19 Astrovirtual, Inc. Web browser derived content including real-time visualizations in a three-dimensional gaming environment

Citations (96)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6091410A (en) 1997-11-26 2000-07-18 International Business Machines Corporation Avatar pointing mode
US6119147A (en) 1998-07-28 2000-09-12 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Method and system for computer-mediated, multi-modal, asynchronous meetings in a virtual space
US6200138B1 (en) 1997-10-30 2001-03-13 Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Game display method, moving direction indicating method, game apparatus and drive simulating apparatus
US6215498B1 (en) 1998-09-10 2001-04-10 Lionhearth Technologies, Inc. Virtual command post
US6227974B1 (en) 1997-06-27 2001-05-08 Nds Limited Interactive game system
US20020007314A1 (en) 2000-07-14 2002-01-17 Nec Corporation System, server, device, method and program for displaying three-dimensional advertisement
US20030154486A1 (en) 1995-05-05 2003-08-14 Dunn Matthew W. Interactive entertainment network system and method for customizing operation thereof according to viewer preferences
US20030156135A1 (en) 2002-02-15 2003-08-21 Lucarelli Designs & Displays, Inc. Virtual reality system for tradeshows and associated methods
US20040004631A1 (en) 2002-06-28 2004-01-08 Kirt Debique Application programming interface for utilizing multimedia data
US20040051745A1 (en) 2002-09-18 2004-03-18 Ullas Gargi System and method for reviewing a virtual 3-D environment
US20040061718A1 (en) 2002-09-27 2004-04-01 International Business Machines Corporation Chat messaging channel redirection
US6772195B1 (en) 1999-10-29 2004-08-03 Electronic Arts, Inc. Chat clusters for a virtual world application
US6784901B1 (en) 2000-05-09 2004-08-31 There Method, system and computer program product for the delivery of a chat message in a 3D multi-user environment
US20040179038A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2004-09-16 Blattner Patrick D. Reactive avatars
US20050010637A1 (en) 2003-06-19 2005-01-13 Accenture Global Services Gmbh Intelligent collaborative media
US20050064926A1 (en) 2001-06-21 2005-03-24 Walker Jay S. Methods and systems for replaying a player's experience in a casino environment
US20050071306A1 (en) 2003-02-05 2005-03-31 Paul Kruszewski Method and system for on-screen animation of digital objects or characters
US20050114121A1 (en) 2003-11-26 2005-05-26 Inria Institut National De Recherche En Informatique Et En Automatique Perfected device and method for the spatialization of sound
US20050228785A1 (en) 2004-04-02 2005-10-13 Eastman Kodak Company Method of diagnosing and managing memory impairment using images
US20060010199A1 (en) 2004-02-04 2006-01-12 Brailean James C Method and system for providing information to remote clients
US20060148568A1 (en) 2004-12-30 2006-07-06 Motorola, Inc. Device and method for wirelessly accessing game media
US20060224546A1 (en) 2003-03-25 2006-10-05 Daniel Ballin Aparatus and method for generating behaviour in an object
US20070006060A1 (en) 2005-06-30 2007-01-04 Microsoft Corporation GPU timeline with render-ahead queue
US20070011617A1 (en) 2005-07-06 2007-01-11 Mitsunori Akagawa Three-dimensional graphical user interface
US20070024002A1 (en) 2005-07-29 2007-02-01 Real Time Gaming, Inc. Embedded casino game
US20070046667A1 (en) 2005-08-31 2007-03-01 Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Image generation program product and image generation device
US20070060312A1 (en) 2003-09-12 2007-03-15 Martin Dempsey System for providing an interface for a gaming device
US20070075993A1 (en) 2003-09-16 2007-04-05 Hideyuki Nakanishi Three-dimensional virtual space simulator, three-dimensional virtual space simulation program, and computer readable recording medium where the program is recorded
US20070117636A1 (en) 2005-11-18 2007-05-24 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game program and game apparatus
US20070160961A1 (en) 2006-01-11 2007-07-12 Cyrus Lum Transportation simulator
US20070162863A1 (en) 2006-01-06 2007-07-12 Buhrke Eric R Three dimensional virtual pointer apparatus and method
US20070169165A1 (en) 2005-12-22 2007-07-19 Crull Robert W Social network-enabled interactive media player
US20070179867A1 (en) 2004-03-11 2007-08-02 American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. Virtual reality shopping experience
US7286799B2 (en) 2003-03-04 2007-10-23 Steven Thrasher Remote caller identification (ID) device
US20070266304A1 (en) 2006-05-15 2007-11-15 Microsoft Corporation Annotating media files
US7346654B1 (en) 1999-04-16 2008-03-18 Mitel Networks Corporation Virtual meeting rooms with spatial audio
US20080079752A1 (en) 2006-09-28 2008-04-03 Microsoft Corporation Virtual entertainment
US7386799B1 (en) 2002-11-21 2008-06-10 Forterra Systems, Inc. Cinematic techniques in avatar-centric communication during a multi-user online simulation
US20080146302A1 (en) 2006-12-14 2008-06-19 Arlen Lynn Olsen Massive Multiplayer Event Using Physical Skills
US20080146339A1 (en) 2006-12-14 2008-06-19 Arlen Lynn Olsen Massive Multiplayer Online Sports Teams and Events
US20080200224A1 (en) 2007-02-20 2008-08-21 Gametank Inc. Instrument Game System and Method
US20080204448A1 (en) 2007-02-27 2008-08-28 Dawson Christopher J Unsolicited advertisements in a virtual universe through avatar transport offers
US20080222295A1 (en) 2006-11-02 2008-09-11 Addnclick, Inc. Using internet content as a means to establish live social networks by linking internet users to each other who are simultaneously engaged in the same and/or similar content
US20080268929A1 (en) 2007-03-30 2008-10-30 Youbeqb Game representing real sporting event with play call feature
US7468729B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2008-12-23 Aol Llc, A Delaware Limited Liability Company Using an avatar to generate user profile information
US20080320159A1 (en) 2007-06-25 2008-12-25 University Of Southern California (For Inventor Michael Naimark) Source-Based Alert When Streaming Media of Live Event on Computer Network is of Current Interest and Related Feedback
US20090013263A1 (en) 2007-06-21 2009-01-08 Matthew Jonathan Fortnow Method and apparatus for selecting events to be displayed at virtual venues and social networking
US20090016449A1 (en) 2007-07-11 2009-01-15 Gene Cheung Providing placement information to a user of a video stream of content to be overlaid
US7487047B2 (en) 2006-03-29 2009-02-03 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Method of interpreting well data
US20090063283A1 (en) 2000-05-15 2009-03-05 Avatizing, Llc System and method for consumer-selected advertising and branding in interactive media
US20090063983A1 (en) 2007-08-27 2009-03-05 Qurio Holdings, Inc. System and method for representing content, user presence and interaction within virtual world advertising environments
US20090063041A1 (en) 2007-08-31 2009-03-05 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Navigation apparatus and navigation method
US20090106671A1 (en) 2007-10-22 2009-04-23 Olson Donald E Digital multimedia sharing in virtual worlds
US20090119604A1 (en) 2007-11-06 2009-05-07 Microsoft Corporation Virtual office devices
US20090241037A1 (en) 2008-03-18 2009-09-24 Nortel Networks Limited Inclusion of Web Content in a Virtual Environment
US20090254358A1 (en) 2008-04-07 2009-10-08 Li Fuyi Method and system for facilitating real world social networking through virtual world applications
US20090253512A1 (en) 2008-04-07 2009-10-08 Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated System And Method For Providing Adjustable Attenuation Of Location-Based Communication In An Online Game
US20090259648A1 (en) 2008-04-10 2009-10-15 International Business Machines Corporation Automated avatar creation and interaction in a virtual world
US20090259948A1 (en) 2008-04-15 2009-10-15 Hamilton Ii Rick A Surrogate avatar control in a virtual universe
US20090288007A1 (en) 2008-04-05 2009-11-19 Social Communications Company Spatial interfaces for realtime networked communications
US20100009747A1 (en) 2008-07-14 2010-01-14 Microsoft Corporation Programming APIS for an Extensible Avatar System
US20100030578A1 (en) 2008-03-21 2010-02-04 Siddique M A Sami System and method for collaborative shopping, business and entertainment
US20100115426A1 (en) 2008-11-05 2010-05-06 Yahoo! Inc. Avatar environments
US7720784B1 (en) 2005-08-30 2010-05-18 Walt Froloff Emotive intelligence applied in electronic devices and internet using emotion displacement quantification in pain and pleasure space
US20100146407A1 (en) 2008-01-09 2010-06-10 Bokor Brian R Automated avatar mood effects in a virtual world
US20100169795A1 (en) 2008-12-28 2010-07-01 Nortel Networks Limited Method and Apparatus for Interrelating Virtual Environment and Web Content
US20100169799A1 (en) 2008-12-30 2010-07-01 Nortel Networks Limited Method and Apparatus for Enabling Presentations to Large Numbers of Users in a Virtual Environment
US20100180001A1 (en) 2009-01-11 2010-07-15 Dick Clarence Hardt Contextual messaging and notification system
US20100205543A1 (en) 2007-08-28 2010-08-12 Philipp Freiherr Von Werther Method for Carrying Out a Multimedia Communication Based on a Network Protocol, Particularly TCP/IP and/or UDP
US7840668B1 (en) 2007-05-24 2010-11-23 Avaya Inc. Method and apparatus for managing communication between participants in a virtual environment
US20100306671A1 (en) 2009-05-29 2010-12-02 Microsoft Corporation Avatar Integrated Shared Media Selection
US20100304804A1 (en) 2009-05-27 2010-12-02 Lucid Ventures, Inc. System and method of simulated objects and applications thereof
US20100325218A1 (en) 2009-06-22 2010-12-23 Nokia Corporation Method and apparatus for determining social networking relationships
US20110063287A1 (en) 2009-09-15 2011-03-17 International Business Machines Corporation Information Presentation in Virtual 3D
US20110087968A1 (en) 2009-10-09 2011-04-14 International Business Machines Corporation Managing connections between real world and virtual world communities
US20110106662A1 (en) 2009-10-30 2011-05-05 Matthew Stinchcomb System and method for performing interactive online shopping
US20110126132A1 (en) 2009-11-20 2011-05-26 Tyler Robert Anderson System and methods of generating social networks in virtual space
US20110131507A1 (en) 2009-12-02 2011-06-02 Microsoft Corporation Personification of Software Agents
US7974983B2 (en) 2008-11-13 2011-07-05 Buzzient, Inc. Website network and advertisement analysis using analytic measurement of online social media content
US20110208814A1 (en) 2010-02-19 2011-08-25 Nokia Corporation Method and apparatus for generating a relevant social graph
US20110207513A1 (en) 2007-02-20 2011-08-25 Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. Instrument Game System and Method
US20110225515A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Sharing emotional reactions to social media
US20110225517A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc Pointer tools for a virtual social venue
US20110225498A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Personalized avatars in a virtual social venue
US20110225039A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Virtual social venue feeding multiple video streams
US20110225519A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Social media platform for simulating a live experience
US20110225516A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Instantiating browser media into a virtual social venue
US20110221745A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Incorporating media content into a 3d social platform
US20110225518A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Friends toolbar for a virtual social venue
US20110225514A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Visualizing communications within a social setting
US20110239136A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-29 Oddmobb, Inc. Instantiating widgets into a virtual social venue
US20110244954A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-10-06 Oddmobb, Inc. Online social media game
US8191001B2 (en) 2008-04-05 2012-05-29 Social Communications Company Shared virtual area communication environment based apparatus and methods
US20120265806A1 (en) 2011-04-13 2012-10-18 Autonomy Corporation Ltd Methods and systems for generating concept-based hash tags
US20130073389A1 (en) 2011-09-15 2013-03-21 Stephan HEATH System and method for providing sports and sporting events related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, promotions and sale of products, goods, gambling and/or services integrated with 3d spatial geomapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social networking
US20130073473A1 (en) 2011-09-15 2013-03-21 Stephan HEATH System and method for social networking interactions using online consumer browsing behavior, buying patterns, advertisements and affiliate advertising, for promotions, online coupons, mobile services, products, goods & services, entertainment and auctions, with geospatial mapping technology

Patent Citations (100)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030154486A1 (en) 1995-05-05 2003-08-14 Dunn Matthew W. Interactive entertainment network system and method for customizing operation thereof according to viewer preferences
US6227974B1 (en) 1997-06-27 2001-05-08 Nds Limited Interactive game system
US6200138B1 (en) 1997-10-30 2001-03-13 Sega Enterprises, Ltd. Game display method, moving direction indicating method, game apparatus and drive simulating apparatus
US6091410A (en) 1997-11-26 2000-07-18 International Business Machines Corporation Avatar pointing mode
US6119147A (en) 1998-07-28 2000-09-12 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Method and system for computer-mediated, multi-modal, asynchronous meetings in a virtual space
US6215498B1 (en) 1998-09-10 2001-04-10 Lionhearth Technologies, Inc. Virtual command post
US7346654B1 (en) 1999-04-16 2008-03-18 Mitel Networks Corporation Virtual meeting rooms with spatial audio
US6772195B1 (en) 1999-10-29 2004-08-03 Electronic Arts, Inc. Chat clusters for a virtual world application
US6784901B1 (en) 2000-05-09 2004-08-31 There Method, system and computer program product for the delivery of a chat message in a 3D multi-user environment
US20090063283A1 (en) 2000-05-15 2009-03-05 Avatizing, Llc System and method for consumer-selected advertising and branding in interactive media
US20020007314A1 (en) 2000-07-14 2002-01-17 Nec Corporation System, server, device, method and program for displaying three-dimensional advertisement
US20050064926A1 (en) 2001-06-21 2005-03-24 Walker Jay S. Methods and systems for replaying a player's experience in a casino environment
US20030156135A1 (en) 2002-02-15 2003-08-21 Lucarelli Designs & Displays, Inc. Virtual reality system for tradeshows and associated methods
US20040004631A1 (en) 2002-06-28 2004-01-08 Kirt Debique Application programming interface for utilizing multimedia data
US20040051745A1 (en) 2002-09-18 2004-03-18 Ullas Gargi System and method for reviewing a virtual 3-D environment
US20040061718A1 (en) 2002-09-27 2004-04-01 International Business Machines Corporation Chat messaging channel redirection
US7386799B1 (en) 2002-11-21 2008-06-10 Forterra Systems, Inc. Cinematic techniques in avatar-centric communication during a multi-user online simulation
US20050071306A1 (en) 2003-02-05 2005-03-31 Paul Kruszewski Method and system for on-screen animation of digital objects or characters
US20040179038A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2004-09-16 Blattner Patrick D. Reactive avatars
US7286799B2 (en) 2003-03-04 2007-10-23 Steven Thrasher Remote caller identification (ID) device
US20060224546A1 (en) 2003-03-25 2006-10-05 Daniel Ballin Aparatus and method for generating behaviour in an object
US20050010637A1 (en) 2003-06-19 2005-01-13 Accenture Global Services Gmbh Intelligent collaborative media
US20070060312A1 (en) 2003-09-12 2007-03-15 Martin Dempsey System for providing an interface for a gaming device
US20070075993A1 (en) 2003-09-16 2007-04-05 Hideyuki Nakanishi Three-dimensional virtual space simulator, three-dimensional virtual space simulation program, and computer readable recording medium where the program is recorded
US20050114121A1 (en) 2003-11-26 2005-05-26 Inria Institut National De Recherche En Informatique Et En Automatique Perfected device and method for the spatialization of sound
US20060010199A1 (en) 2004-02-04 2006-01-12 Brailean James C Method and system for providing information to remote clients
US20070179867A1 (en) 2004-03-11 2007-08-02 American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. Virtual reality shopping experience
US20050228785A1 (en) 2004-04-02 2005-10-13 Eastman Kodak Company Method of diagnosing and managing memory impairment using images
US7468729B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2008-12-23 Aol Llc, A Delaware Limited Liability Company Using an avatar to generate user profile information
US20060148568A1 (en) 2004-12-30 2006-07-06 Motorola, Inc. Device and method for wirelessly accessing game media
US20070006060A1 (en) 2005-06-30 2007-01-04 Microsoft Corporation GPU timeline with render-ahead queue
US20070011617A1 (en) 2005-07-06 2007-01-11 Mitsunori Akagawa Three-dimensional graphical user interface
US20070024002A1 (en) 2005-07-29 2007-02-01 Real Time Gaming, Inc. Embedded casino game
US7720784B1 (en) 2005-08-30 2010-05-18 Walt Froloff Emotive intelligence applied in electronic devices and internet using emotion displacement quantification in pain and pleasure space
US20070046667A1 (en) 2005-08-31 2007-03-01 Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Image generation program product and image generation device
US20070117636A1 (en) 2005-11-18 2007-05-24 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game program and game apparatus
US20070169165A1 (en) 2005-12-22 2007-07-19 Crull Robert W Social network-enabled interactive media player
US20070162863A1 (en) 2006-01-06 2007-07-12 Buhrke Eric R Three dimensional virtual pointer apparatus and method
US20070160961A1 (en) 2006-01-11 2007-07-12 Cyrus Lum Transportation simulator
US7487047B2 (en) 2006-03-29 2009-02-03 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Method of interpreting well data
US20070266304A1 (en) 2006-05-15 2007-11-15 Microsoft Corporation Annotating media files
US20080079752A1 (en) 2006-09-28 2008-04-03 Microsoft Corporation Virtual entertainment
US20080222295A1 (en) 2006-11-02 2008-09-11 Addnclick, Inc. Using internet content as a means to establish live social networks by linking internet users to each other who are simultaneously engaged in the same and/or similar content
US20080146302A1 (en) 2006-12-14 2008-06-19 Arlen Lynn Olsen Massive Multiplayer Event Using Physical Skills
US20080146339A1 (en) 2006-12-14 2008-06-19 Arlen Lynn Olsen Massive Multiplayer Online Sports Teams and Events
US20080200224A1 (en) 2007-02-20 2008-08-21 Gametank Inc. Instrument Game System and Method
US20130065656A1 (en) 2007-02-20 2013-03-14 Ubisoft Entertainment, S.A. Instrument game system and method
US20110207513A1 (en) 2007-02-20 2011-08-25 Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. Instrument Game System and Method
US20080204448A1 (en) 2007-02-27 2008-08-28 Dawson Christopher J Unsolicited advertisements in a virtual universe through avatar transport offers
US20080268929A1 (en) 2007-03-30 2008-10-30 Youbeqb Game representing real sporting event with play call feature
US7840668B1 (en) 2007-05-24 2010-11-23 Avaya Inc. Method and apparatus for managing communication between participants in a virtual environment
US20090013263A1 (en) 2007-06-21 2009-01-08 Matthew Jonathan Fortnow Method and apparatus for selecting events to be displayed at virtual venues and social networking
US20080320159A1 (en) 2007-06-25 2008-12-25 University Of Southern California (For Inventor Michael Naimark) Source-Based Alert When Streaming Media of Live Event on Computer Network is of Current Interest and Related Feedback
US20090016449A1 (en) 2007-07-11 2009-01-15 Gene Cheung Providing placement information to a user of a video stream of content to be overlaid
US20090063983A1 (en) 2007-08-27 2009-03-05 Qurio Holdings, Inc. System and method for representing content, user presence and interaction within virtual world advertising environments
US20100205543A1 (en) 2007-08-28 2010-08-12 Philipp Freiherr Von Werther Method for Carrying Out a Multimedia Communication Based on a Network Protocol, Particularly TCP/IP and/or UDP
US20090063041A1 (en) 2007-08-31 2009-03-05 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Navigation apparatus and navigation method
US20090106671A1 (en) 2007-10-22 2009-04-23 Olson Donald E Digital multimedia sharing in virtual worlds
US20090119604A1 (en) 2007-11-06 2009-05-07 Microsoft Corporation Virtual office devices
US20100146407A1 (en) 2008-01-09 2010-06-10 Bokor Brian R Automated avatar mood effects in a virtual world
US20090241037A1 (en) 2008-03-18 2009-09-24 Nortel Networks Limited Inclusion of Web Content in a Virtual Environment
US20100030578A1 (en) 2008-03-21 2010-02-04 Siddique M A Sami System and method for collaborative shopping, business and entertainment
US8191001B2 (en) 2008-04-05 2012-05-29 Social Communications Company Shared virtual area communication environment based apparatus and methods
US20090288007A1 (en) 2008-04-05 2009-11-19 Social Communications Company Spatial interfaces for realtime networked communications
US20090254358A1 (en) 2008-04-07 2009-10-08 Li Fuyi Method and system for facilitating real world social networking through virtual world applications
US20090253512A1 (en) 2008-04-07 2009-10-08 Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated System And Method For Providing Adjustable Attenuation Of Location-Based Communication In An Online Game
US20090259648A1 (en) 2008-04-10 2009-10-15 International Business Machines Corporation Automated avatar creation and interaction in a virtual world
US20090259948A1 (en) 2008-04-15 2009-10-15 Hamilton Ii Rick A Surrogate avatar control in a virtual universe
US20100009747A1 (en) 2008-07-14 2010-01-14 Microsoft Corporation Programming APIS for an Extensible Avatar System
US20100115426A1 (en) 2008-11-05 2010-05-06 Yahoo! Inc. Avatar environments
US7974983B2 (en) 2008-11-13 2011-07-05 Buzzient, Inc. Website network and advertisement analysis using analytic measurement of online social media content
US20100169795A1 (en) 2008-12-28 2010-07-01 Nortel Networks Limited Method and Apparatus for Interrelating Virtual Environment and Web Content
US20100169799A1 (en) 2008-12-30 2010-07-01 Nortel Networks Limited Method and Apparatus for Enabling Presentations to Large Numbers of Users in a Virtual Environment
US20100180001A1 (en) 2009-01-11 2010-07-15 Dick Clarence Hardt Contextual messaging and notification system
US20100304804A1 (en) 2009-05-27 2010-12-02 Lucid Ventures, Inc. System and method of simulated objects and applications thereof
US20100306655A1 (en) 2009-05-29 2010-12-02 Microsoft Corporation Avatar Integrated Shared Media Experience
US20100306671A1 (en) 2009-05-29 2010-12-02 Microsoft Corporation Avatar Integrated Shared Media Selection
US20100325218A1 (en) 2009-06-22 2010-12-23 Nokia Corporation Method and apparatus for determining social networking relationships
US20120304127A1 (en) 2009-09-15 2012-11-29 International Business Machines Corporation Information Presentation in Virtual 3D
US20110063287A1 (en) 2009-09-15 2011-03-17 International Business Machines Corporation Information Presentation in Virtual 3D
US8271905B2 (en) 2009-09-15 2012-09-18 International Business Machines Corporation Information presentation in virtual 3D
US20110087968A1 (en) 2009-10-09 2011-04-14 International Business Machines Corporation Managing connections between real world and virtual world communities
US20110106662A1 (en) 2009-10-30 2011-05-05 Matthew Stinchcomb System and method for performing interactive online shopping
US20110126132A1 (en) 2009-11-20 2011-05-26 Tyler Robert Anderson System and methods of generating social networks in virtual space
US20110131507A1 (en) 2009-12-02 2011-06-02 Microsoft Corporation Personification of Software Agents
US20110208814A1 (en) 2010-02-19 2011-08-25 Nokia Corporation Method and apparatus for generating a relevant social graph
US20110221745A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Incorporating media content into a 3d social platform
US20110225517A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc Pointer tools for a virtual social venue
US20110225498A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Personalized avatars in a virtual social venue
US20110225518A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Friends toolbar for a virtual social venue
US20110225514A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Visualizing communications within a social setting
US20110239136A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-29 Oddmobb, Inc. Instantiating widgets into a virtual social venue
US20110244954A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-10-06 Oddmobb, Inc. Online social media game
US20110225516A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Instantiating browser media into a virtual social venue
US20110225515A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Sharing emotional reactions to social media
US20110225039A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Virtual social venue feeding multiple video streams
US20110225519A1 (en) 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Social media platform for simulating a live experience
US20120265806A1 (en) 2011-04-13 2012-10-18 Autonomy Corporation Ltd Methods and systems for generating concept-based hash tags
US20130073389A1 (en) 2011-09-15 2013-03-21 Stephan HEATH System and method for providing sports and sporting events related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, promotions and sale of products, goods, gambling and/or services integrated with 3d spatial geomapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social networking
US20130073473A1 (en) 2011-09-15 2013-03-21 Stephan HEATH System and method for social networking interactions using online consumer browsing behavior, buying patterns, advertisements and affiliate advertising, for promotions, online coupons, mobile services, products, goods & services, entertainment and auctions, with geospatial mapping technology

Non-Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
"Wii Operations Manual; Channels and Settings." Nintendo, 2009, pp. 6-8 and 11-13.
Karoussos, Katerina. "MII & You" DIMEA 2008, Sep. 10-12, 2008, Athens, Greece pp. 496-498.
Morin, Dave. "Announcing Facebook Connect." p. 1. May 9, 2008, retrieved from http://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2008/05/09/announcing-facebook-connect/.
Nintendo, Wii Sports, Nov. 19, 2006, www.nintendo.com/games/detail/1OTtO06SP7M52gi5m8pD6CnahbW8CzxE,wiisports.nintendo.com/games-section/ pp. 1-2.
Schonfeld, Erick. "Qlipso Brings Avatars, Video Chat, and FaceBook Connect to Virtual Room." pp. 1-2, Nov. 18, 2009, retrieved from http://techcrunch.com/2009/11/18/qlipso-virtual-rooms-avatars-video-chat-facebook/.
Viegas, Fernanda B. et al., "Chat Circles" May 15-20, 1999. MIT Media Lab, Pittsburgh, PA USA pp. 9-16.
Yoono Browser Add-on, "So How Does Yoono Simplify My Life?" Jan. 14, 2010, http://yoono.com/features.html pp. 1-5.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20140040783A1 (en) 2014-02-06
US20140033078A1 (en) 2014-01-30
US8572177B2 (en) 2013-10-29
US20140033044A1 (en) 2014-01-30
US9292164B2 (en) 2016-03-22
US20110221745A1 (en) 2011-09-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9292163B2 (en) Personalized 3D avatars in a virtual social venue
US8667402B2 (en) Visualizing communications within a social setting
US20110239136A1 (en) Instantiating widgets into a virtual social venue
US20110225515A1 (en) Sharing emotional reactions to social media
US20110244954A1 (en) Online social media game
US20110225039A1 (en) Virtual social venue feeding multiple video streams
US20110225519A1 (en) Social media platform for simulating a live experience
US20110225498A1 (en) Personalized avatars in a virtual social venue
US20110225516A1 (en) Instantiating browser media into a virtual social venue
US20110225518A1 (en) Friends toolbar for a virtual social venue
US11538213B2 (en) Creating and distributing interactive addressable virtual content
US8441475B2 (en) Arrangements for enhancing multimedia features in a virtual universe
Feng et al. The key to 360-degree video advertising: An examination of the degree of narrative structure
RU2527199C2 (en) Avatar integrated shared media selection
US9826277B2 (en) Method and system for collaborative and scalable information presentation
US8356077B2 (en) Linking users into live social networking interactions based on the users' actions relative to similar content
US20130031475A1 (en) Social network based virtual assembly places
US20090063995A1 (en) Real Time Online Interaction Platform
US20110225517A1 (en) Pointer tools for a virtual social venue
US10467809B2 (en) Methods and systems for presenting a video stream within a persistent virtual reality world
US11845011B2 (en) Individualized stream customizations with social networking and interactions
WO2011112296A1 (en) Incorporating media content into a 3d platform
KR102082670B1 (en) Method for providing virtual reality userinterface for viewing broadcastand apparatus using the same
Chen et al. " I Felt Everyone Was a Streamer": An Empirical Study on What Makes Avatar Collective Streaming Engaging
Pagáč et al. Using Audience Avatars to Increase Sense of Presence in Live-Streams

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: ODDMOBB, INC., CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:GOLDMAN, DANIEL M.;LANNING, LORNE;REEL/FRAME:031341/0414

Effective date: 20110201

Owner name: XMOBB, INC., CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ODDMOBB, INC.;REEL/FRAME:031341/0455

Effective date: 20110701

AS Assignment

Owner name: ONSET VI, L.P., CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:XMOBB, INC.;REEL/FRAME:031882/0967

Effective date: 20120719

Owner name: JAVELIN XIP, LLC, CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:JAVELIN VENTURE PARTNERS, L.P.;REEL/FRAME:031882/0977

Effective date: 20130405

Owner name: JAVELIN VENTURE PARTNERS, L.P., CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:XMOBB, INC.;REEL/FRAME:031882/0967

Effective date: 20120719

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: SURCHARGE FOR LATE PAYMENT, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2554); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 4TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2551); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 4

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2552); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 8